地步

• Pinyin: dì bù
• Hanzi breakdown: 地 = 土 + 也 (earth/ground; here used as state); 步 = 止 + 少 (step, pace)

Meaning

State; condition; a point or degree reached, usually negative. Describes the extent to which a situation has deteriorated or the degree of difficulty someone has fallen into.

Almost always used in the pattern 到了...地步 (has reached the point of...) or 落到...地步 (has fallen to the point of...). Implies a state arrived at through a process, often one that was not desired. Rarely used to describe positive conditions. A formal, literary-flavoured term.

Examples

1. 他没想到事情会发展到如此不可收拾的地步，后悔当初没有及时处理。 He never expected things to spiral to such an uncontrollable point, and he regretted not dealing with it in time.
2. 公司资金链断裂，已经到了无法正常发放工资的地步，员工人心惶惶。 With the company’s cash flow chain broken, it has reached the point where wages can’t be paid normally, and employees are on edge.
3. 两人的矛盾激化到了不可调和的地步，最终以彼此协议离婚收场。 Their conflict escalated to an irreconcilable point, and in the end it concluded with a mutually agreed divorce.

Usage Guide

Context: narrative, crisis description, social commentary

Tone: negative

Do Say

• 局势恶化到了令人忧虑的地步，各方必须立即展开对话以防进一步失控。(The situation has deteriorated to an alarming point — all parties must immediately begin dialogue to prevent further loss of control.)
• 他的健康已经差到了难以正常工作的地步，医生建议他立即住院接受系统治疗。(His health has deteriorated to the point where he can barely work normally — doctors advised immediate hospitalisation for systematic treatment.)

Don't Say

• 到了好的地步 — 地步 almost always refers to a negative state; use 达到了良好的状态 or 取得了可喜的进展 for positive situations; forcing 地步 into a positive context sounds unnatural

Origin & History

地 (ground/state) + 步 (step/stage) — the point one has reached

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal