A strategy is presented for achieving tough and functional bonding between synthetic hydrogels and diverse nonporous solids, including glass, silicon, ceramics, titanium, and aluminum. The method involves covalently anchoring the long-chain polymer networks of hydrogels to solid surfaces via silanation. This chemical anchoring results in a higher intrinsic work of adhesion and significant energy dissipation during detachment, leading to interfacial toughness exceeding 1000 Jm⁻². The hydrogels can contain over 90% water and are optically transparent and electrically conductive. The strategy enables robust hydrogel-solid hybrids with novel functions, such as hydrogel superglues, mechanically protective coatings, hydrogel joints for robotics, and robust hydrogel-metal conductors. The design strategy and fabrication methods are versatile and applicable to various solids, including those in wet environments. The interfacial toughness is influenced by the intrinsic work of adhesion and mechanical dissipation, with the latter being enhanced by the hydrogel's structure. The method demonstrates high interfacial toughness, surpassing that of natural interfaces like tendon-bone and cartilage-bone. The approach is simple, effective, and applicable to a wide range of hydrogels and solids, enabling new applications in biomedicine, soft electronics, and microfluidics. The results validate the effectiveness of chemical anchoring in achieving tough hydrogel-solid bonding, with potential for future applications in stretchable electronics, microfluidics, and neural probes.A strategy is presented for achieving tough and functional bonding between synthetic hydrogels and diverse nonporous solids, including glass, silicon, ceramics, titanium, and aluminum. The method involves covalently anchoring the long-chain polymer networks of hydrogels to solid surfaces via silanation. This chemical anchoring results in a higher intrinsic work of adhesion and significant energy dissipation during detachment, leading to interfacial toughness exceeding 1000 Jm⁻². The hydrogels can contain over 90% water and are optically transparent and electrically conductive. The strategy enables robust hydrogel-solid hybrids with novel functions, such as hydrogel superglues, mechanically protective coatings, hydrogel joints for robotics, and robust hydrogel-metal conductors. The design strategy and fabrication methods are versatile and applicable to various solids, including those in wet environments. The interfacial toughness is influenced by the intrinsic work of adhesion and mechanical dissipation, with the latter being enhanced by the hydrogel's structure. The method demonstrates high interfacial toughness, surpassing that of natural interfaces like tendon-bone and cartilage-bone. The approach is simple, effective, and applicable to a wide range of hydrogels and solids, enabling new applications in biomedicine, soft electronics, and microfluidics. The results validate the effectiveness of chemical anchoring in achieving tough hydrogel-solid bonding, with potential for future applications in stretchable electronics, microfluidics, and neural probes.