Meaning
The kanji 到 (tō) primarily conveys core meanings such as “to arrive,” “to reach,” or “to attain.” It signifies the successful conclusion of a journey or process, or the achievement of a specific state or level. Unlike simply moving towards something, 到 emphasizes the successful completion or final endpoint.
It can refer to a physical arrival at a destination, like a train reaching a station. It can also describe more abstract accomplishments, such as reaching a conclusion in a discussion or attaining a specific goal.
Looking at its visual form can offer insight into its meaning. The character is composed of two main parts: the top component 止 (shi), which originally depicted a foot and means “to stop” or “foot.” The bottom part is the radical 刀 (tō), meaning “knife” or “sword.”
While the phonetic contribution of 刀 is often debated in its etymology, the combination can be visually interpreted as a “foot” reaching a point and then “stopping.” The “knife” might represent marking or cutting off the completion of the journey. This imagery effectively illustrates the idea of movement culminating in a definitive arrival or endpoint.
The kanji 到 has 8 strokes. As it's considered a secondary school level kanji, it is not assigned an elementary school grade level.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The primary On'yomi for 到 is トウ (TŌ). This reading is highly prevalent and appears in almost all common kanji compounds that include 到. You'll typically find it when 到 combines with other kanji to form words related to arrival, reaching, or the extent of something. Mastering this reading is essential for deciphering a wide range of N2 vocabulary.
- 到着 (tōchaku) — arrival, reaching a destination
The train's 到着 was delayed by an hour.
- 到達 (tōtatsu) — arrival, attainment, reaching a goal
The team celebrated their 到達 of the fundraising target.
- 殺到 (sattō) — rush, flocking, inundation (e.g., people rushing to a place)
Customers 殺到ed the store during the limited-edition sale.
- 到底 (tōtei) — (not) possibly, (not) by any means (often used with negative verbs, indicating impossibility)
I could 到底 not understand his complex explanation.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The main Kun'yomi for 到 is いた-る (itaru). This reading forms the verb 到る, meaning “to arrive at,” “to reach,” “to lead to,” or “to amount to.” While 至る (using the kanji 至) is more commonly seen in modern Japanese with a similar meaning of reaching an ultimate point or extreme degree, 到る remains a valid reading. You'll often encounter it in more formal, literary, or specific idiomatic expressions, where it emphasizes the finality of reaching a particular state or conclusion.
- 目標に到る (mokuhyō ni itaru) — to reach a goal, to attain an objective
After much effort, he was able to 目標に到る.
- 結論に到る (ketsuron ni itaru) — to arrive at a conclusion, to reach a resolution
It took hours for the committee to 結論に到る.
- 頂点に到る (chōten ni itaru) — to reach the summit, to attain the peak
The climber aimed to 頂点に到る by dawn.
Common Words & Compounds
The kanji 到 forms many essential words and compounds, particularly those related to movement, achievement, and time. Below are some key examples, categorized by theme:
Arrival & Destination
- 到着 (tōchaku) — arrival
The plane's 到着 was announced.
- 到着時刻 (tōchaku jikoku) — arrival time
Please check the estimated 到着時刻.
- 到着口 (tōchakuguchi) — arrival gate/exit (at an airport or station)
Meet me at the 到着口.
- 最終到着地 (saishū tōchakuchi) — final destination
What is your 最終到着地?
Attainment & Reaching
- 到達 (tōtatsu) — arrival, attainment, reaching
His speech marked the 到達 of a long career.
- 到達点 (tōtatsuten) — a point of arrival, a goal, an achievement point
This project is a significant 到達点 for our company.
- 到達目標 (tōtatsu mokuhyō) — attainment target, learning objective
The course outlines clear 到達目標 for students.
- 未到達 (mitōtatsu) — unreached, unattained
Many areas of the rainforest remain 未到達.
Action & Movement
- 殺到 (sattō) — rush, flocking, inundation
Requests for tickets 殺到ed the box office.
- 目的地に到る (mokutekichi ni itaru) — to reach the destination
We need to figure out how to 目的地に到る.
Abstract & Extent
- 到底 (tōtei) — (not) possibly, (not) by any means
It was 到底 impossible to finish on time.
Example Sentences
電車は間もなく駅に到着します。
Densha wa ma mo naku eki ni tōchaku shimasu.
The train will arrive at the station shortly.
彼らはついに山頂に到達した。
Karera wa tsui ni sanchō ni tōtatsu shita.
They finally reached the summit.
新製品の発売に、店舗には客が殺到した。
Shinseihin no hatsubai ni, tenpo ni wa kyaku ga sattō shita.
When the new product was released, customers rushed to the store.
そんな困難な目標は、私には到底達成できないだろう。
Sonna kon'nan na mokuhyō wa, watashi ni wa tōtei tassei dekinai darō.
Such a difficult goal is probably impossible for me to achieve.
飛行機は定刻通りに目的地に到着した。
Hikōki wa teikokudōri ni mokutekichi ni tōchaku shita.
The plane arrived at its destination on schedule.
長年の研究の末、ついに新発見に到達した。
Naganen no kenkyū no sue, tsui ni shin hakken ni tōtatsu shita.
After many years of research, they finally reached a new discovery.
大勢の観光客がその祭に殺到しました。
Ōzei no kankōkyaku ga sono matsuri ni sattō shimashita.
A large number of tourists rushed to that festival.
この道を辿れば、やがて山頂に到るだろう。
Kono michi o tadoreba, yagate sanchō ni itaru darō.
If you follow this path, you will eventually reach the summit.
数日中に結論に到ると思われます。
Sūjitsuchū ni ketsuron ni itaru to omowaremasu.
It is expected that a conclusion will be reached within a few days.
彼の努力はついに成功に到達した。
Kare no doryoku wa tsui ni seikō ni tōtatsu shita.
His efforts finally led to success.
Memory Tip
To remember 到, picture a simple story. The top component, 止, resembles a foot or indicates stopping. The bottom part, 刀, is the radical for a knife or sword. Imagine you've completed a long journey and your foot (止) has finally stopped at your destination. To mark this significant arrival or reaching of your goal, you might metaphorically plant a small knife (刀) into the ground. This vivid mnemonic helps emphasize the definitive act of arriving and marking the endpoint of a journey or process.