The short version: After a verb, 来 lái means toward the speaker and 去 qù means away from the speaker. 拿来 = bring, 拿去 = take away. Put a direction in between for more detail: 进来 come in, 出去 go out, 拿回来 bring back. A place word goes before 来 or 去: 回家去, never 回去家.
English has a pair of verbs, come and go, and a set of little words like in, out, up and back. Chinese has the same two ideas, but it attaches them to the end of other verbs. The result is a small system you can learn in an afternoon: seven directions, two arrows, and one rule about where the speaker is standing.
The speaker is the centre
That single point explains pairs that look confusing at first. The same staircase is 上来 or 上去 depending on who is talking.
You are upstairs
你上来吧。nǐ shànglái baCome on up.
You are downstairs
我们上去吧。wǒmen shàngqù baLet's go up.
You are inside
请进来。qǐng jìnláiPlease come in.
You are outside
我们进去看看。wǒmen jìnqù kànkanLet's go in and have a look.
Simple forms: verb + 来 or 去
The simplest version adds 来 or 去 directly to a verb of movement or carrying.
Compound forms: seven directions
Put one of seven direction words between the verb and 来/去 to say exactly where the movement goes.
| + 来 (toward me) | + 去 (away) | |
|---|---|---|
| 上 up | 上来come up | 上去go up |
| 下 down | 下来come down | 下去go down |
| 进 in | 进来come in | 进去go in |
| 出 out | 出来come out | 出去go out |
| 回 back | 回来come back | 回去go back |
| 过 over | 过来come over | 过去go over |
| 起 up (rise) | 起来get up, rise | no 起去 |
Each of these can stand alone as a verb, or follow another verb that says how the movement happens:
Where the object goes
This is the part learners get wrong most often, and it depends on what kind of object you have.
A place word must sit between the direction word and 来 or 去.
An ordinary object can go before 来/去, after the whole complement, or move to the front with 把.
Phrases you will hear every day
| Chinese | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 我回来了！ | wǒ huílái le | I'm home! (said walking in the door) |
| 进来吧。 | jìnlái ba | Come in. |
| 你过来一下。 | nǐ guòlái yíxià | Come over here a moment. |
| 出来玩吧！ | chūlái wán ba | Come out and hang out! |
| 下来吃饭吧。 | xiàlái chī fàn ba | Come down for dinner. |
| 你什么时候回来？ | nǐ shénme shíhou huílái | When are you coming back? |
Beyond direction: 起来, 下去, 出来
Some of these combinations also have meanings that are no longer about physical movement. You do not need them all now, but three are so common that it is worth recognising them early.
Check yourself
First ask: where is the speaker?
You are inside, so movement toward you: 进来.
Away from where you are now: 上去.
A place goes before 来/去: 回家去.
Mum is at home, so coming back to her: 回来.
Rising up: 起来. There is no 起去.
Looks, seems: 看起来.
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Learn Chinese with Hanzijo - FreeQuick reference
- 来 / 去
- Toward the speaker / away from the speaker: 拿来, 拿去.
- Compound
- 上 下 进 出 回 过 起 + 来/去: 进来, 出去, 回来, 站起来 (no 起去).
- The speaker decides
- Inside: 请进来. Outside: 我们进去吧. Upstairs: 你上来吧.
- Place words
- Before 来/去: 回家去, 走进教室来, 上楼去. Never 回去家.
- Other objects
- Flexible: 拿出一本书来, 拿出来一本书, 把书拿出来.
- Everyday phrases
- 我回来了, 进来吧, 过来一下, 出来玩吧, 下来吃饭.
- Extended meanings
- 看起来 (looks), 想起来 (remember), 说下去 (keep talking), 看出来 (notice).
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 来 and 去 after a verb?
来 shows movement toward the speaker and 去 movement away. 拿来 means bring (here); 拿去 means take (there).
When do you say 进来 and when 进去?
It depends on where you are. If you are inside, you say 请进来, come in. If you are outside with someone, you say 我们进去吧, let's go in.
Where does the place word go with 来 and 去?
Between the direction and 来/去: 回家去, 走进教室来, 上楼去. 回去家 is wrong.
Why is there no 起去?
起 means rising up from a lower position, and Chinese only pairs it with 来: 站起来, stand up. There is no 起去.
What does 我回来了 mean?
I'm back, or I'm home. It is what people say when they walk in the door, because they have come back to where the listener is.
- 刘月华 (Liu Yuehua), 《趋向补语通释》 (Beijing Language and Culture University Press, 1998): the standard study of directional complements, including the position of objects and extended meanings.
- 吕叔湘 (Lü Shuxiang), 《现代汉语八百词》: the entries for 来, 去, 起来 and 下去.
- Center for Language Education and Cooperation (CLEC), official HSK site (chinesetest.cn).