抵达

• Pinyin: dǐ dá
• Hanzi breakdown: 抵 = 扌(hand) + 氐 (bottom/low); 达 = 辶 (walk) + 大 (big)

Meaning

To arrive; to reach. Arriving at a destination, especially after travel.

A formal word for arriving at a destination, commonly used in news, announcements, and official contexts. More formal than 到达. Often used for flights, delegations, or important arrivals.

Examples

1. 飞机预计下午三点抵达北京首都机场。 The plane is expected to arrive at Beijing Capital Airport at 3 PM.
2. 代表团抵达后受到了热烈欢迎。 The delegation received a warm welcome upon arrival.
3. 经过十二小时的飞行，我们终于抵达了目的地。 After twelve hours of flying, we finally arrived at our destination.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, news, official

Tone: formal

Do Say

• 列车即将抵达终点站。(The train is about to arrive at the terminal station.)
• 总统抵达机场。(The president arrived at the airport.)

Don't Say

• 抵达比到达正式，日常口语用'到了'更自然 (抵达 is more formal than 到达 — in everyday speech, 到了 is more natural)

Origin & History

Combines 抵 (to reach/push against) with 达 (to arrive/reach), both meaning to reach a destination.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal