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报到 (bào dào) — to report (for duty); to check in; to register

Definition

报到 (bàodào) means to report in person — show up to register or check in for duty, school, or an event. Don't confuse with 报道 (bàodào), which is to report news.

verb
to report (for duty)to check into register
Easily confused

Examples

  • 报到。
    Míng tiān yì zǎo qù gōng sī bào dào.
    I'll go to the company to report first thing tomorrow.
  • 报到？
    Nǐ dào xué xiào bào dào le ma?
    Have you checked in at the school?
  • 。
    Tā bào wán dào jiù zǒu le.
    He finished checking in and left.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

报bàoreport
到dàoarrival

报 means to report and 到 means arrival, so together they describe reporting one's arrival.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 報; 报 is its simplified writing.

  • 㚔㚔㚔handcuffs
  • 𠬝𠬝𠬝to subdue

The traditional form 報 puts 㚔 (handcuffs) beside 𠬝 (to subdue), showing someone restrained and subdued, as in convicting or punishing a guilty person. The simplified 报 is a later shorthand.

Open 报 →

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 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 6Workplace & Office

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