挂到 (guà dào) — to hang (something) onto a location or position

Definition

挂到 is a resultative verb phrase: the directional 到 emphasizes the destination of hanging. It pairs naturally with 把-constructions and location complements (墙上, 门后).

verb
to hang (something) onto a location or position

Examples

  • 挂到。
    Qǐng bǎ huà guà dào qiáng shàng.
    Please hang the painting onto the wall.
  • 挂到。
    Tā bǎ dà yī guà dào mén hòu le.
    He hung his coat behind the door.
  • 挂到？
    Nǐ néng bāng wǒ guà dào nà ge gōu zi shàng ma?
    Can you help me hang it onto that hook?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

挂guàhang
到dàoreach

“挂” gives the action of hanging and “到” adds reaching a place, so something is hung onto a location.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 掛; 挂 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
⺘Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
卦
卦guà掛guà
Same sound today

In the traditional form 掛, the hand part ⺘ and the sound part 卦 show hooking or hanging something with the hand; this form was originally a popular form of 挂.

Open 挂 →

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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