When do I use 住 vs 到 as resultative complements?

Use 住 when the result is about fixing something in place or making it stable, like remembering (记住) or grabbing (抓住). Use 到 when the result is about successfully reaching a target or obtaining something, like finding (找到) or buying (买到).

Can 住 ever be used for attaining something?

No, 住 focuses on the state of being fixed, not on attainment. For attainment (finding, reaching), always use 到. For example, 找到 means 'succeed in finding', while 找住 would be incorrect.

Are there any verbs that can take both 住 and 到?

Yes, some verbs can take both but with different meanings. For example, 拿住 means 'hold firmly', while 拿到 means 'obtain/grasp' (as in receiving an item). Similarly, 定住 means 'settle/stabilize', while 定到 means 'decide on a specific target'.

Easily confusedHSK 4

住 vs 到 (zhù vs dào): resultative complements for securing vs attaining

住 and 到 serve as resultative complements in Chinese, but they indicate different types of outcomes. 住 (zhù) means the action results in something being fixed or held in place—like securing a memory or grabbing an object. 到 (dào) means the action successfully reaches a target or goal—like finding something or arriving at a destination. The key distinction: 住 is about making something stay (e.g., 记住), while 到 is about achieving a result (e.g., 找到).

Both 住 (zhù) and 到 (dào) can appear after a verb as resultative complements, but they focus on different aspects of the result. 住 (literally 'stop, live') conveys that something is fixed, secured, or held in place — it emphasizes the resulting state of being stationary or stable. 到 (literally 'arrive') conveys that an action has successfully attained a target or reached a goal — it emphasizes the successful completion of an action with a specific outcome. The choice depends on whether you want to express 'making something stick/stay' (住) or 'succeeding in reaching/getting something' (到).

Quando usar cada um

住zhù

hold firm (fix)

Use 住 as a resultative complement when the action results in something being fixed, secured, or held in place. It commonly appears with verbs like 记 (remember), 抓 (grab), 拿 (hold), 停 (stop), and 定 (fix). It indicates that the object is made to stay in a certain state or position, often implying a lasting or stable result.

住 often implies a permanent or semi-permanent state, not just a momentary achievement. For example, 记住 means the memory is retained, not just temporarily recalled.

到dào

succeed in

Use 到 as a resultative complement when the action successfully reaches a target, obtains something, or completes an action. Common verbs include 找 (look for), 买 (buy), 看 (see/look), 听 (listen), and 收 (receive). It emphasizes the successful attainment of a goal, such as finding an object, arriving at a place, or perceiving something.

到 can also express the successful completion of an action with perception verbs, e.g., 看到 (manage to see), 听到 (manage to hear). It does not necessarily imply a lasting state, only that the result was achieved at that moment.

Visão geral

	住	到
Core meaning	To make something stay/fixed in place	To succeed in reaching a target
Implication of result	The result is stable or permanent (e.g., memory, grip)	The result is a success in obtaining or reaching something
Common main verbs	记 (remember), 抓 (grab), 停 (stop), 拿 (hold), 把 (handle)	找 (look for), 买 (buy), 看 (look), 听 (listen), 收 (receive)
Negation (failure to achieve result)	没 + verb + 住 (e.g., 没记住 'didn't remember firmly')	没 + verb + 到 (e.g., 没找到 'didn't manage to find')

Exemplos

住
我记住了你的名字。
Wǒ jì zhù le nǐ de míng zì.
I remembered your name (and it stuck in my memory).
住 indicates the memory is fixed; using 到 here (*记到) would wrongly imply only a momentary recollection.
住
他抓住了我的手。
Tā zhuā zhù le wǒ de shǒu.
He grabbed my hand (and held it firmly).
住 shows the grip is secure; 到 would imply he merely reached my hand without holding.
到
我终于找到了钥匙。
Wǒ zhōng yú zhǎo dào le yào shi.
I finally found the keys (successfully located them).
到 emphasizes successful attainment of the search target; 住 (*找住) would be incorrect as it suggests fixing something already found.
到
你买到了火车票吗？
Nǐ mǎi dào le huǒ chē piào ma?
Did you manage to buy the train ticket?
到 indicates the goal of purchasing was achieved; 住 would not make sense here.
住
请停住车。
Qǐng tíng zhù chē.
Please stop the car (and keep it stopped).
住 implies the car is brought to a complete stop and stays still; 到 would imply the car arrives at a point but not necessarily stops.

Erros comuns

Using 到 instead of 住 for memory: e.g., *记到 instead of 记住. 记到 does not exist in standard Chinese; memory is 'fixed' with 住, not 'attained'.
Using 住 instead of 到 for finding: e.g., *找住 instead of 找到. 找住 would mean 'grab hold of while searching', which is not idiomatic.
Misplacing negation: e.g., *记没住 or *找没到. The correct negation is 没记住, 没找到 (没 before the main verb).
Using 住 for temporary perceptual results: e.g., *看到住 (should be 看到). Perception results use 到, not 住.

Perguntas frequentes

When do I use 住 vs 到 as resultative complements?: Use 住 when the result is about fixing something in place or making it stable, like remembering (记住) or grabbing (抓住). Use 到 when the result is about successfully reaching a target or obtaining something, like finding (找到) or buying (买到).
Can 住 ever be used for attaining something?: No, 住 focuses on the state of being fixed, not on attainment. For attainment (finding, reaching), always use 到. For example, 找到 means 'succeed in finding', while 找住 would be incorrect.
Are there any verbs that can take both 住 and 到?: Yes, some verbs can take both but with different meanings. For example, 拿住 means 'hold firmly', while 拿到 means 'obtain/grasp' (as in receiving an item). Similarly, 定住 means 'settle/stabilize', while 定到 means 'decide on a specific target'.