来 lái come
come; I'll do it
How it came to be
A wheat plant with the ears hanging off both sides and the roots drawn below. Wheat was brought into China from the west, so the word for it was also the word for what arrives.
How it is used
- Motion toward the speaker - 来我家 (lái wǒ jiā) come to mine, 过来 (guòlái) come over; the mirror of 去 (qù, go away).
- Can volunteer you for a task - 我来 (wǒ lái) I'll do it / let me; and it marks direction on other verbs - 起来 (qǐlái) up, 出来 (chūlái) out.
Characters built with 来
Words with 来
- 起来qǐláito get upHSK 2
- 上来shàngláito come upHSK 2
- 下来xiàláito come downHSK 2
- 出来chūláito come outHSK 2
- 回来huíláito returnHSK 2
- 过来guòláito come overHSK 2
- 进来jìnláito come inHSK 2
- 来自láizìcome from (a place)HSK 3
- 后来hòuláiafterwardsHSK 3
- 看来kànláiapparentlyHSK 3
- 从来cóngláihave always (from the beginning)HSK 4
- 本来běnláioriginallyHSK 4
- 原来yuánláioriginalHSK 4
- 将来jiāngláithe futureHSK 4
- 来不及lái bu jíthere's not enough time (to do something)HSK 4
- 来得及lái de jíthere's still timeHSK 4
- 到来dàoláito arriveHSK 4
- 用来yòngláito be used forHSK 4
- 以来yǐláisince (a previous event)HSK 5
- 前来qiánláito come (formal)HSK 5
- 未来wèiláifutureHSK 5
- 来源láiyuánsource (of information etc)HSK 5
- 近年来jìnniánláifor the past few yearsHSK 5
- 外来wàiláiexternalHSK 6
- 往来wǎngláidealingsHSK 6
- 来临láilínto approachHSK 6
- 来往láiwǎngto come and goHSK 6
- 由来yóuláioriginHSK 6
- 自来水zìláishuǐrunning waterHSK 6
- 近来jìnláirecentlyHSK 6
- 划不来huábuláinot worth itHSK 7
- 划得来huádeláiworth itHSK 7
- 到头来dàotóuláiin the endHSK 7
- 历来lìláialwaysHSK 7
- 向来xiàngláialways (previously)HSK 7
- 多年来duōniánláifor the past many yearsHSK 7
- 来之不易láizhī-búyìhard to come byHSK 7
- 来历láilìhistoryHSK 7
- 来回láihuíto make a round tripHSK 7
- 来年láiniánnext yearHSK 7
Example sentences
- 机会来了。 Jīhuì lái le.A good opportunity presented itself.
- 来了一位客人。 Láile yí wèi kèren.One guest has arrived.
- 大家自动来帮忙。 Dàjiā zìdòng lái bāngmáng.Everybody voluntarily came to help.
- 要是你不来，我就跟你分手。 Yàoshi nǐ bù lái, wǒ jiù gēn nǐ fēnshǒu.If you don't come, I am going to break up with you.