When do I use 上 vs 到 after 考?

Use 上 when the goal is entry/admission to an institution or position (e.g., 考上大学). Use 到 when the goal is a specific score, rank, or amount (e.g., 考到90分). If you are unsure, ask whether the result involves 'becoming part of something' (上) or 'hitting a number/point' (到).

Can 到 ever be used for admission to a school?

No, not in the sense of 'getting into'. 考到大学 would be interpreted as 'reaching the university (as a location)' or 'getting to the university' (e.g., after traveling). For admission, always use 考上.

Is there a difference between 没考上 and 没考到?

Yes. 没考上 means 'did not get accepted into' (e.g., 没考上大学). 没考到 means 'did not reach a certain score/level' (e.g., 没考到600分). Both are correct in their contexts.

Can I use 上 for reaching a level like 满分 (full marks)?

No. For reaching a score, use 到. 考上满分 is unnatural; use 考到满分 or 考了满分. 上 is only for entry/attachment, not for numerical endpoints.

Easily confusedHSK 4

上 vs 到 (shàng vs dào): resultative complements for attainment

上 and 到 are both resultative complements used after verbs like 考 (kǎo, to take an exam). 上 indicates achieving entry or attachment to an institution, position, or status (e.g., getting into a school), while 到 indicates reaching a specific numeric target or level (e.g., a score or rank). Choosing the wrong one can change the meaning entirely.

Both 上 (shàng) and 到 (dào) can be used as resultative complements to indicate that an action has achieved a result. The key difference lies in the nature of the goal: 上 implies that the subject has successfully entered or attached to a target entity (e.g., a school, a position, a list), while 到 implies that a measurable limit or level has been reached (e.g., a score, a point, a place). Learners often mistakenly use 到 for entry-related achievements (e.g., saying 考到大学 to mean 'get into university') when 上 is required. Understanding this distinction is crucial for precise expression.

Cuándo usar cada uno

上shàng

up/onto (attach)

Use 上 as a resultative complement when the achievement involves gaining access to, being admitted to, or attaching to a target such as an institution, a position, a list, or a status. Common verbs include 考 (kǎo, take exam), 选 (xuǎn, elect/select), 评 (píng, evaluate), and 升 (shēng, promote). For example, 考上大学 (kǎo shàng dàxué) means 'pass the exam to enter a university'.

上 can also convey a sense of upward movement or successful completion of a vertical action (e.g., 爬上山顶, climb to the top of the mountain), but in the attainment context it specifically implies being 'on' the target, not just reaching it.

到dào

reach (a level)

Use 到 as a resultative complement when the achievement involves reaching a quantifiable or spatial end point, such as a score, a rank, a location, or a time. Common verbs include 考 (kǎo, take exam), 挣 (zhèng, earn), 走 (zǒu, walk), and 看 (kàn, see). For example, 考到90分 (kǎo dào 90 fēn) means 'achieve a score of 90 on an exam'.

到 emphasizes that a specific boundary or goal has been reached; it does not imply attachment or membership. After verbs like 看 (kàn), 到 can mean 'see' as in 'catch sight of', which is a different usage.

De un vistazo

	上	到
Core meaning as resultative complement	Achieve entry/attachment to a target	Reach a target level/point/number
Typical objects	Institutions (大学, 高中), positions (校长), lists (排行榜), status (研究生)	Scores (90分), ranks (前十名), amounts (100万), locations (北京)
Implication of membership	Implies being accepted/onboard	No implication of membership; just reaching the number
Negation (没)	没考上 (did not get into)	没考到 (did not reach the score/level)
Potential complement	考得上 (can get into)	考得到 (can reach the target)

Ejemplos

上
他考上了北京大学。
Tā kǎo shàng le běi jīng dà xué.
He passed the exam and got into Peking University.
Use 上 because the result is entry to an institution.
到
她考到了650分。
Tā kǎo dào le 650 fēn.
She achieved a score of 650.
Use 到 because the result is a numeric level.
上
这个学生没考上重点高中。
Zhè ge xué shēng méi kǎo shàng zhòng diǎn gāo zhōng.
This student didn't get into the key high school.
Negation pattern: 没考上.
到
他虽然努力了，但没考到理想的名次。
Tā suī rán nǔ lì le, dàn méi kǎo dào lǐ xiǎng de míng cì.
Although he worked hard, he didn't reach the desired ranking.
Ranking is a numeric or ordinal target, so 到.
上
我希望能考上研究生。
Wǒ xī wàng néng kǎo shàng yán jiū shēng.
I hope to pass the exam and become a graduate student.
Status (研究生) is an attachment, not a number.

Errores comunes

Using 到 instead of 上 for admission: ✗ 他考到了大学？(meaning 'get into university') → should be 考上了大学.
Using 上 instead of 到 for numeric scores: ✗ 他考上了90分？(meaning 'achieved 90 points') → should be 考到了90分.
Confusing negation: 不 is rarely used with resultative complements; use 没: 没考上, 没考到.

Preguntas frecuentes

When do I use 上 vs 到 after 考?: Use 上 when the goal is entry/admission to an institution or position (e.g., 考上大学). Use 到 when the goal is a specific score, rank, or amount (e.g., 考到90分). If you are unsure, ask whether the result involves 'becoming part of something' (上) or 'hitting a number/point' (到).
Can 到 ever be used for admission to a school?: No, not in the sense of 'getting into'. 考到大学 would be interpreted as 'reaching the university (as a location)' or 'getting to the university' (e.g., after traveling). For admission, always use 考上.
Is there a difference between 没考上 and 没考到?: Yes. 没考上 means 'did not get accepted into' (e.g., 没考上大学). 没考到 means 'did not reach a certain score/level' (e.g., 没考到600分). Both are correct in their contexts.
Can I use 上 for reaching a level like 满分 (full marks)?: No. For reaching a score, use 到. 考上满分 is unnatural; use 考到满分 or 考了满分. 上 is only for entry/attachment, not for numerical endpoints.