得不到 (dé bù dào) — cannot get, cannot obtain, cannot achieve

Definition

The negated form of 得到, used when someone fails to get, obtain, or achieve something — often with regret or effort that fell short. Common in a 得不到…就… pattern.

verb
cannot getcannot obtaincannot achieve

Examples

  • ，得不到得不到。
    Tā nǔ lì le hěn jiǔ, què zǒng shì dé bù dào dé bù dào xiǎng yào de jié guǒ.
    He worked hard for a long time, but he just can't get the results he wants.
  • ，得不到得不到。
    Zài zhè ge háng yè, dé bù dào dé bù dào tóng háng de rèn kě hěn nán lì zú.
    In this industry, it's hard to survive without getting recognition from peers.
  • ，得不到得不到。
    Zài tuō yán xià qù, nǐ jiù dé bù dào dé bù dào zhè cì jī huì le.
    If you keep procrastinating, you won't get this opportunity.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

得déobtain
不到not reach
不bùnot到dàoreach
偏正Modifier + head

得 means obtain; 到 means reach, and 不 negates that result.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The old form 㝵 showed a hand picking up a cowry, meaning to obtain; later changes turned that picture into 得.

Open 得 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The picture in 不 originally showed a flower’s calyx; the “no” sense came later from a related character, not from this picture.

Open 不 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
至至zhìto arrive
Sound part声符shēngfú
刀
刀dāo到dào
Same sound today

到 combines 至, meaning 'to arrive', with 刀 as the sound part. The 至 part points to the idea of reaching a stopping point.

Open 到 →

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