来 lái come
come; I'll do it; next
How it came to be
象形 · Pictogram · 假借 borrowed for its sound
A drawing of the thing it means.
Originally: wheat
The oldest form is a wheat plant with its leaves and roots; very early it was borrowed to write to come.
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.