到头来

到頭來

dàotóulái

adverb HSK 7-9 #9,575

Meanings

1 in the end
2 after all is said and done
3 when all is said and done

Characters

to arrive; to reach

Examples

HSK 3

到头来，一切都是白费。

Dàotóulái, yīqiè dōu shì báifèi.

In the end, it was all for nothing.

HSK 4

他努力了半天，到头来还是失败了。

Tā nǔlì le bàntiān, dàotóulái háishi shībài le.

He worked hard for so long, but in the end he still failed.

Tips

usage

到头来 often carries a sense of disappointment or irony - things didn't turn out as hoped despite effort. It's more emotional than neutral 最终.

Stroke Order

到 dào

头 tóu

来 lái