得到 (dédào) — to get; to obtain; to receive

得到 (dédào)

得到 is a resultative verb meaning "to get" or "to obtain." The 到 suffix indicates successful completion — the getting actually happened. It is used for obtaining tangible objects, intangible rewards, information, and abstract things like support or recognition.

Meanings

1. [verb] To get; to obtain; to receive; to achieve — successfully acquire something concrete or abstract.

Example Sentences

他终于得到了他梦寐以求的工作。 Tā zhōngyú dédào le tā mèngmèiyǐqiú de gōngzuò. He finally got the job he had always dreamed of.

这本书很难得到，图书馆也没有。 Zhè běn shū hěn nán dédào, túshūguǎn yě méiyǒu. This book is hard to get; even the library doesn't have it.

她的努力得到了老师的表扬。 Tā de nǔlì dédào le lǎoshī de biǎoyáng. Her hard work earned praise from the teacher.

我们的建议没有得到重视。 Wǒmen de jiànyì méiyǒu dédào zhòngshì. Our suggestions were not taken seriously.

Collocations

Memory Hook

得 means "to get/obtain" and 到 means "to arrive/reach." Together they reinforce the idea that you reached out and the thing actually arrived in your hands — the obtaining was completed.