<p>I think the problem is, you cannot expect to translate Chinese to English (or English to Chinese) literally, word-by-word. The way that a sentence is constructed is way too different in these languages that translate word-by-word would lead to all kinds of awkward situations.</p>

<p>In your first example,</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>There is still 3 hours until the departure of the flight.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I would consider the following expressions in spoken language:</p>

<pre><code>   飞机              还有  3个小时               起飞。
The flight | (is) | still 3 hours | (from) | departure.
</code></pre>

<p>To emphasize 3 hours:</p>

<pre><code>   飞机       还有  3个小时        才         起飞。
the flight | still 3 hours | only until | take off.
 还有  3个小时      飞机           才         起飞。
still 3 hours | the flight | only until | take off.
==&gt; The plane will only take off until 3 hours later.
</code></pre>

<p>Note that "until" is left out or changed by reordering those elements in your original sentence.</p>

<p>Or if you want <strong>to make it feel like an announcement</strong> (more formal), change the word to 距离(also means "until" in some situation) will be more suitable:</p>

<pre><code> 距离             飞机起飞                  还有         3个小时。
Until | the departure of the flight | there is still | 3 hours.
</code></pre>

<hr>

<p>As for the second example, it also requires some reordering and changes to wording:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Then until you come here I should improve my speaking skills!</p>
</blockquote>

<pre><code> 那           你下次来之前，        我  应该            多    练习。
Then | before you come next time | I should | (do) | more practice.
==&gt; Then I should practice more before you come next time.
</code></pre>

<hr>

<p>However, it doesn't mean that you have to left out "until" every time. Consider this example:</p>

<pre><code>The company was in chaos until he became the manager.
</code></pre>

<p>Including "until" here or not makes the meaning quite different:</p>

<pre><code>直到他成为经理之前，公司一片混乱。
　　他成为经理之前，公司一片混乱。
</code></pre>

<p>You can infer from the first sentence that <em>he</em> is the key to the change of company. But the latter sentence could simply be a statement of fact, not necessarily credit him for the change.</p>

<hr>

<p>So, the expression for "until" depends very much on the context IMO.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-18T16:12:13.860Z
Perfect! Thanks for the great answer. Then how should I use apart 到 and 直到? I feel that 直到 has stronger "until" nuance, but is this correct?
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-19T01:16:59.003Z
@Blaszard I don't have a dictionary at hand to give you the exact definition. But from my understanding: 直到means only until (certain things happened) or only until (a certain time), sometimes used together with 才. 百度百科 gives 直到 the following definition: 一直到(多指时间). And here are some examples I found: 1. 他工作了很久，直到半夜才休息。 2. 他一直往梯子上爬，直到喘不过气来。 In the first example, I think it is ok to change 直到 with 到. But in the second, it would only make sense with 到 if you change it to this: ……爬，(直)到喘不过气来才<停下 or whatever happened next>. I hope this will be helpful to you.
zypA13510
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-17T20:53:37.490Z
2018-03-17T21:25:11.980Z
2018-03-17T21:25:11.980Z
zypA13510
<p>The 到 in first simple is appropriate to use. </p>

<p>This 到 in here has no difference with "arrive" actually, not "places arrive" but "timing arrive", 距離 is the same. Basically the only difference between 距離 and 到 is that the 到 in here is a verb and 距離 is more like a noun,  when we use 距離 , we already know the time mostly, but 到 we can also using for asking, like 到什麼時候 .</p>

<p>距離 in the first simple is focus on "3 hours" and 到 is focus on "the departure of the flight" , this sentence has all information they need , so it's ok to use both.</p>

<p>Next question,
Because "improve my speaking skills" should be done before "you come here", we need to add 之前 behind 你下次來 not 時 , And because there's no exactly timing in this sentence, we prefer use 到 more than 距離 .</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-17T22:24:02.610Z
2018-03-17T22:24:02.610Z
Momywife
<p>When does our plane take off?<br>
我们的飞机什么时候飞起？<br>
There are still 3 hours until the departure of the flight, don't worry.<br>
离飞机起飞还有三个小时，别担心。</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-18T00:34:40.160Z
2018-03-18T00:34:40.160Z
Pedroski
<p>Well this is an tricky question. In most cases, 到 would be the best. But it would be a bit different in your question "Then until you come here I should improve my speaking skills!" The better translation would be 你下次来之前，我应该多学习。 Studying would be a behavior during this period of time. This could be a bit confusing because 之前 might sounds like "before" if you use a dictionary. In Chinese, if we are talking about time, 到 would be a better choice just like 到飞机起飞还有三个小时. But when we are talking about a behavior or experience during a period of time. 之前 would be more appropriate. Just like "我听到那个消息之前还感觉很快乐"I felt very happy until i heard that message. Another example would be 我听到铃声之前在读书 i was reading until i heard the bell. Basically 到 would describe purely time.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-17T14:59:23.357Z
2018-03-17T14:59:23.357Z
Likai Liu
<p>Suppose that I want to express the following (sample) sentence:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>There is still 3 hours until the departure of the flight.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>If you use a dictionary, the matched entries for &quot;until&quot; would be something like the follows:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>到飞机起飞还有三个小时。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>However, I feel it is a bit awkward, and also feel that 到 is not the appropriate word here, at least I don't think Chinese people use it much often.</p>
<p>Another example:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>X: 下次等到假期准备在那多玩几天</p>
<p>I: Then until you come here I should improve my speaking skills!</p>
</blockquote>
<p>With my limited writing skills, I might write it like:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>那到你下次来的时，我应该学多。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>In these cases, is 到 the appropriate word or how should I express &quot;until ~&quot; better in Chinese?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-17T08:59:29.583Z
until 到…时候 e。g。到飞机起飞的时候
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-17T09:08:24.627Z
@user6065 Is it OK that simple? Then the next example should be OK as well? (It is 时, not 时候 but I think it is the same)
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-17T09:22:15.353Z
find examples for  到。。。时 at iciba:到第三圈时，金基德的车速达到了每小时289英里(by the 3rd lap), 比赛进行到第30分钟时双方都更换了守门员, also 直到…时候(为止)
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-17T09:26:25.783Z
@songyuanyao The third example sounds quite natural for me. I wonder the use of 到 sounds a bit awkward, even though it might be grammatically correct, so posted a question here.
Blaszard
<mandarin><conjunction>
How to express "until ~" in Chinese?
# How to express "until ~" in Chinese?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-03-17)

Suppose that I want to express the following (sample) sentence:

> There is still 3 hours until the departure of the flight.

If you use a dictionary, the matched entries for "until" would be something like the follows:

> 到飞机起飞还有三个小时。

However, I feel it is a bit awkward, and also feel that 到 is not the appropriate word here, at least I don't think Chinese people use it much often.

Another example:

> X: 下次等到假期准备在那多玩几天
>
> I: Then until you come here I should improve my speaking skills!

With my limited writing skills, I might write it like:

> 那到你下次来的时，我应该学多。

In these cases, is 到 the appropriate word or how should I express "until ~" better in Chinese?

**Tags:** mandarin, conjunction

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: until 到…时候 e。g。到飞机起飞的时候  
> **username_0**: @username_1 Is it OK that simple? Then the next example should be OK as well? (It is 时, not 时候 but I think it is the same)  
> **username_1**: find examples for  到。。。时 at iciba:到第三圈时，金基德的车速达到了每小时289英里(by the 3rd lap), 比赛进行到第30分钟时双方都更换了守门员, also 直到…时候(为止)  
> **username_0**: @songyuanyao The third example sounds quite natural for me. I wonder the use of 到 sounds a bit awkward, even though it might be grammatically correct, so posted a question here.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-03-17. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

I think the problem is, you cannot expect to translate Chinese to English (or English to Chinese) literally, word-by-word. The way that a sentence is constructed is way too different in these languages that translate word-by-word would lead to all kinds of awkward situations.

In your first example,

> There is still 3 hours until the departure of the flight.

I would consider the following expressions in spoken language:

```
   飞机              还有  3个小时               起飞。
The flight | (is) | still 3 hours | (from) | departure.

```

To emphasize 3 hours:

```
   飞机       还有  3个小时        才         起飞。
the flight | still 3 hours | only until | take off.
 还有  3个小时      飞机           才         起飞。
still 3 hours | the flight | only until | take off.
==> The plane will only take off until 3 hours later.

```

Note that "until" is left out or changed by reordering those elements in your original sentence.

Or if you want **to make it feel like an announcement** (more formal), change the word to 距离(also means "until" in some situation) will be more suitable:

```
 距离             飞机起飞                  还有         3个小时。
Until | the departure of the flight | there is still | 3 hours.

```

---

As for the second example, it also requires some reordering and changes to wording:

> Then until you come here I should improve my speaking skills!

```
 那           你下次来之前，        我  应该            多    练习。
Then | before you come next time | I should | (do) | more practice.
==> Then I should practice more before you come next time.

```

---

However, it doesn't mean that you have to left out "until" every time. Consider this example:

```
The company was in chaos until he became the manager.

```

Including "until" here or not makes the meaning quite different:

```
直到他成为经理之前，公司一片混乱。
　　他成为经理之前，公司一片混乱。

```

You can infer from the first sentence that *he* is the key to the change of company. But the latter sentence could simply be a statement of fact, not necessarily credit him for the change.

---

So, the expression for "until" depends very much on the context IMO.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Perfect! Thanks for the great answer. Then how should I use apart 到 and 直到? I feel that 直到 has stronger "until" nuance, but is this correct?  
> **username_2**: @username_0 I don't have a dictionary at hand to give you the exact definition. But from my understanding: 直到means only until (certain things happened) or only until (a certain time), sometimes used together with 才. 百度百科 gives 直到 the following definition: 一直到(多指时间). And here are some examples I found: 1. 他工作了很久，直到半夜才休息。 2. 他一直往梯子上爬，直到喘不过气来。 In the first example, I think it is ok to change 直到 with 到. But in the second, it would only make sense with 到 if you change it to this: ……爬，(直)到喘不过气来才<停下 or whatever happened next>. I hope this will be helpful to you.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-03-17. Score: 0

The 到 in first simple is appropriate to use.

This 到 in here has no difference with "arrive" actually, not "places arrive" but "timing arrive", 距離 is the same. Basically the only difference between 距離 and 到 is that the 到 in here is a verb and 距離 is more like a noun, when we use 距離 , we already know the time mostly, but 到 we can also using for asking, like 到什麼時候 .

距離 in the first simple is focus on "3 hours" and 到 is focus on "the departure of the flight" , this sentence has all information they need , so it's ok to use both.

Next question,
Because "improve my speaking skills" should be done before "you come here", we need to add 之前 behind 你下次來 not 時 , And because there's no exactly timing in this sentence, we prefer use 到 more than 距離 .


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2018-03-18. Score: 0

When does our plane take off?  
我们的飞机什么时候飞起？  
There are still 3 hours until the departure of the flight, don't worry.  
离飞机起飞还有三个小时，别担心。


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2018-03-17. Score: 0

Well this is an tricky question. In most cases, 到 would be the best. But it would be a bit different in your question "Then until you come here I should improve my speaking skills!" The better translation would be 你下次来之前，我应该多学习。 Studying would be a behavior during this period of time. This could be a bit confusing because 之前 might sounds like "before" if you use a dictionary. In Chinese, if we are talking about time, 到 would be a better choice just like 到飞机起飞还有三个小时. But when we are talking about a behavior or experience during a period of time. 之前 would be more appropriate. Just like "我听到那个消息之前还感觉很快乐"I felt very happy until i heard that message. Another example would be 我听到铃声之前在读书 i was reading until i heard the bell. Basically 到 would describe purely time.


---

