How many verbs can be used with 到?

Question

I see 到 used with some verbs describing a result, I am wondering if there are a specific number of verbs in the structure V+(de)dao到. Is there an exhaustive number of verbs that can be used with V+ 到? Or is it just a limited number of verbs and if yes, where can I find them?

Answer 1

Any verb that can be deemed successful or takes an object can use 到

Let's randomly pick a few unrelated verbs and see which of them can or cannot use 到

碰、看、打、走、學、想、哭、笑

碰到 (O) touch - you can attempt to touch but not actually succeed, 到 indicates it is touched successfully

看到 (O) see - you can attempt to see but not actually succeed, 到 indicates it is seen successfully

打到 (O) hit - you can attempt to hit but not actually succeed, 到 indicates it is hit successfully

走到 (O) walk/ go - "走到 somewhere", and this "somewhere" is the object

學到 (O) learn you can attempt to learn but not actually succeed, 到 indicates it is learned successfully

想到 (O) think - "想到 something", and this "something" is the object

哭到 (X) cry - you don't have to try to cry, so it can't be deemed successful, and 哭 doesn't take an object

笑到 (X) laugh - you don't have to try to laugh, so it can't be deemed successful, and 笑 doesn't take an object

Answer 2

The interpretation of "success" happens only when the process is associated with a target in the first place. For example:

• 他去了校长办公室三次，昨天终于见到校长。
• 今天我很早就去市场，所以买到新鲜的鲫鱼。
• 我找到钥匙了，原来在抽屉里。

When we delimit a target P, we also envisage the non P (out of the target). The idea of success comes from hitting P and not non P.

If the process is not associated with a predefined target, we don't have the interpretation of "success". Instead, we have a kind of "it so happened that...". For example:

• 我昨天去商场买东西，看到我们的校长。
• 她真幸运，在沙滩散步时找到一只漂亮的贝壳。

In the classic situation of "Pick a card, any card", one uses 到 with any card he just happens to have picked:

• 我抽到黑桃2。
• 我抽到红心A。
• 我抽到... etc.

It is like calling what you have hit the target only after shooting.