Hanzi
Traditional
來
Simplified
来

to come/(used as a substitute for a more specific verb)/hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來|回来[hui2 lai5])/ever since (as in 自古以來|自古以来[zi4 gu3 yi3 lai2])/for the past (amount of time)/(prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世|来世[lai2 shi4])/(between two verbs) in order to/(after a round number) approximately/(used after 得[de2] to indicate possibility, as in 談得來|谈得来[tan2 de5 lai2], or after 不[bu4] to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不來|吃不来[chi1 bu5 lai2])

Hanzi

Grade

Grade 1

Pinyin

lái

Bopomofo

ㄌㄞˊ

Jyutping

lai4

Example sentences

來 / 来 lái
他明天會來我家玩。
他明天会来我家玩。

He will come to my house to play tomorrow.

從 / 从 cóng
你從哪裡來？
你从哪里来？

Where are you from?

來自 / 来自 láizì
他來自一個遙遠的國度。
他来自一个遥远的国度。

He comes from a distant country.

學者 / 学者 xuézhě
許多來自世界各地的學者參加了這次會議。
许多来自世界各地的学者参加了这次会议。

Many scholars from all over the world attended this conference.

出來 / 出来 chūlái
太陽從雲後面出來了。
太阳从云后面出来了。

The sun came out from behind the clouds.

難 / 难 nán
這道數學題太難了，我做不出來。
这道数学题太难了，我做不出来。

This math problem is too hard, I can't solve it.

哇 wa
好哇！原來他心愛的花瓶是你打破的！
好哇！原来他心爱的花瓶是你打破的！

Great! So you were the one who broke his beloved vase!

回來 / 回来 huílái
他已經從國外回來了。
他已经从国外回来了。

He has already returned from abroad.

媽 / 妈 mā
媽，我回來了。
妈，我回来了。

Mom, I'm back.

Example Vocabulary

來

lai2

to come; to arrive; future; (particle for approximate numbers)

來自

lai2'zi4

to come from; to originate from

出來

chu1'lai2

to come out; to appear

原來

yuan2'lai2

originally; as it turns out

回來

hui2'lai2

to return; to come back

上來

shang4'lai2

to come up; to approach; (after a verb) indicates upward movement or a successful outcome

下來

xia4'lai2

to come down; (aspect marker)

以來

yi3'lai2

since (a previous event)

來到

lai2'dao4

to arrive; to come to

來回

lai2'hui2

round trip; back and forth; repeatedly

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