来 (lái) is a Chinese word meaning “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])”.
Meanings
- 1to come
- 2(used as a substitute for a more specific verb)
- 3hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來|回来[hui2 lai5])
- 4ever since (as in 自古以來|自古以来[zi4 gu3 yi3 lai2])
- 5for the past (amount of time)
- 6(prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世|来世[lai2 shi4])
- 7(between two verbs) in order to
- 8(after a round number) approximately
- 9(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])
- Part of speech
- verb
Related words
起来to stand up; to get up起来(after a verb) indicating the beginning and continuation of an action or a state回来to return; to come back出来to come out出来(after a verb, indicates coming out, completion of an action, or ability to discern or detect)过来to come over过来see 過來|过来[guo4 lai2]下来to come down从来always看来apparently进来to come in带来to bring