Chinese–EnglishWith examples

来

lái · lai

Traditional 來

HSK 1

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. to come
  2. (used as a substitute for a more specific verb)
  3. hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來 / 回来 (huílai))
  4. ever since (as in 自古以來 / 自古以来 (zìgǔ yǐlái))
  5. for the past (amount of time)
  6. (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世 / 来世 (láishì))
  7. (between two verbs) in order to
  8. (after a round number) approximately
  9. (used after 得 (dé) to indicate possibility, as in 談得來 / 谈得来 (tándelái), or after 不 (bù) to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不來 / 吃不来 (chībulái))
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In a conversation

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  1. Dengdeng

    亮亮(liàngliàng)，你(nǐ)什么(shénme)时候(shíhou)来(lái)？

    Liangliang, when are you coming?

  2. Liangliang

    我(wǒ)马上(mǎshàng)来(lái)。

    I am coming soon.

  3. Dengdeng

    你(nǐ)上次(shàngcì)也(yě)说(shuō)马上(mǎshàng)来(lái)，结果(jiéguǒ)两(liǎng)个(gè)小时(xiǎoshí)以后(yǐhòu)才(cái)来(lái)。

    Last time you also said you were coming soon, and you came two hours later.

  4. Liangliang

    这次(zhècì)真(zhēn)的(de)，我(wǒ)已经(yǐjīng)来(lái)了(le)。

    This time really, I have already come.

  5. Dengdeng

    你(nǐ)在(zài)哪儿(nǎr)？我(wǒ)没(méi)看到(kàndào)你(nǐ)。

    Where are you? I do not see you.

  6. Liangliang

    我(wǒ)来(lái)了(le)，我(wǒ)在(zài)另一个(lìngyīgè)咖啡馆(kāfēiguǎn)。

    I came, I am at another cafe.

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

我(wǒ)们(men)的(de)老(lǎo)师(shī)总(zǒng)是(shì)准(zhǔn)时(shí)来(lái)上(shàng)课(kè)。

Our teacher is always on time for class.

Tatoeba: Chinese by nickyeow · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

02

你(nǐ)做(zuò)你(nǐ)的(de)部(bù)份(fèn), 其(qí)他(tā)的(de)我(wǒ)来(lái)做(zuò)。

You do your part and I'll do the rest.

Tatoeba: Chinese by Martha · English by Swift · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

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How to write

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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