The Kanji: 到 (Tō)
The kanji 到 means "to arrive," "to reach," or "until." It combines 至 (arrive) with 刀 (knife), originally emphasizing the decisive moment of reaching a destination. This character describes the completion of movement toward a goal.
Common Words & Example Sentences
1. 到着 (tōchaku) - Arrival
飛行機が空港に到着した。
"The airplane arrived at the airport."
2. 到来 (tōrai) - Advent
春の到来を感じる。
"I feel the advent of spring."
3. 到底 (tōtei) - Cannot possibly
彼の要求には到底応じられない。
"I cannot possibly meet his demand."
4. 周到 (shūtō) - Thorough
周到な準備が必要だ。
"Thorough preparation is necessary."
In summary, 到 describes achievement of destinations (到着), beginnings of periods (到来), and completeness (到底, 周到). It emphasizes the decisive aspect of reaching limits and endpoints in Japanese.