Definition
等到 (děng dào) means 'wait until' or 'by the time when' — it explicitly combines the idea of waiting (等) and reaching a point in time (到). It is interchangeable with 等 in most 'by the time' sentences but emphasizes a conscious wait for something to happen first. 等 (děng) is more general: it can also mean simply 'to wait for' (as a verb) or 'when' in a timeline.
preposition
by the time (when)wait until
Examples
- 等到。děng dào míngtiān zài shuō ba.Let's wait until tomorrow to talk about it.
- 等到，。děng dào tā huílái, wǒmen jiù chīfàn.When he comes back, we'll eat.
- 等到，。děng dào nǐ zhǔnbèi hǎo le, wǒmen kāishǐ gōngzuò.Once you're ready, we'll start working.
Grammar
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