to arrive, to come, to return; in the future, later on
HSK 1, v, 7 strokes, radical 木, rank #27, Easy
lái(lai2) T2
1to come
2to arrive
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March 24, 2026
来(來)lái(lai2)
The character 来 (lái) means 'to come' or 'to arrive' and is used to indicate movement towards the speaker or a designated location. It can also express future events or actions that are expected to happen, making it versatile in both temporal and spatial contexts.
Strokes7Radical木Frequency#27DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of coming or visiting is significant in social interactions, often reflecting hospitality and community bonding. The phrase '过来' (guòlái), meaning 'come over', is commonly used when inviting someone to join a gathering.
Memory Tip
Imagine a friend who always comes over for tea; you can picture them walking in with a smile. The radical '来' resembles a person approaching, and the pronunciation 'lái' sounds like 'lie'—like a friend coming to share a story. Visualize your friend arriving and telling you a tale, making the connection stick.
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AI Study Notes for 来
Quick Contrast
到 (dào) - use 来 (lái) when emphasizing movement towards the speaker or a designated location, while 到 (dào) focuses on reaching a destination.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a friend who always comes over for tea; you can picture them walking in with a smile. The radical '来' resembles a person approaching, and the pronunciation 'lái' sounds like 'lie'—like a friend coming to share a story. Visualize your friend arriving and telling you a tale, making the connection stick.
Usage Notes
A common mistake is confusing 来 (lái) with 去 (qù), which means 'to go' away from the speaker. Remember that 来 indicates movement towards the speaker, while 去 indicates movement away. It's often used in both formal and informal contexts, so it’s suitable for everyday conversation.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 1 word, 来 (lái) is foundational for beginners. Students should practice using it in simple sentences to describe actions and future plans, and connect it with other verbs like 去 (qù) to enhance their understanding of movement vocabulary.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of coming or visiting is significant in social interactions, often reflecting hospitality and community bonding. The phrase '过来' (guòlái), meaning 'come over', is commonly used when inviting someone to join a gathering.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 来 (lái) when they mean 去 (qù). For example, saying '我来商店' (wǒ lái shāngdiàn) to mean 'I am going to the store' is incorrect; the correct form is '我去商店' (wǒ qù shāngdiàn).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 来
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Grammar Patterns of 来
来 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
I'll ring the hotel. I'll tell them we'll check in tomorrow.
Cultural Notes for 来
💡Did you know?
'来' is commonly used in greetings, such as '来这里' (come here), showing hospitality in Chinese culture.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of coming or visiting is significant in social interactions, often reflecting hospitality and community bonding. The phrase '过来' (guòlái), meaning 'come over', is commonly used when inviting someone to join a gathering.
Word Family of 来
Compounds9
莱lai2weed, goosefoot; fallow field; used in transliterations
睐lai4to squint at; a sidelong glance
徕lai2to entice, to solicit; to encourage customers to come
梾lai2dogwood; Cornus macrophylla
铼lai2rhenium
崃lai2a mountain in Sichuan province
涞lai2ripple; brook; a river in Hebei province
赉lai4to bestow, to confer; surname
俫
Words Containing This Character20
来láito come來
起来qǐláialso pr. [qǐlai]起來
出来chūláito come out出來
回来huíláito return回來
过来guòláito come over過來
下来xiàláito come down下來
来自láizìto come from (a place)來自
带来dàiláito bring帶來
原来yuánláioriginal原來
未来wèiláifuture未來
以来yǐláisince (a previous event)以來
看来kànláiapparently看來
越来越yuèláiyuèmore and more越來越
从来cóngláialways從來
来到láidàoto come來到
后来hòuláilater後來
本来běnláioriginal本來
进来jìnláito come in進來
来源láiyuánorigin來源
近年来jìnniánláifor the past few years近年來
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 莱 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 来
Yes, 来 (lái) is used in various contexts in Chinese. It can express physical movement, a metaphorical arrival, or even time references like 'ever since'. Understanding its different uses will enhance your comprehension and speaking skills in Chinese.
Some common phrases that include 来 (lái) are '来得及' (lái de jí), meaning 'to be on time,' and '来吧' (lái ba), which is an encouragement to come or join. Mastering these phrases can help you sound more natural in conversation.
来 (lái) can be used in sentences to indicate movement towards the speaker or a specified location. For example, you can say '请来这里' (Qǐng lái zhè lǐ), meaning 'Please come here.' It's also used in phrases like '我来帮你' (Wǒ lái bāng nǐ), which means 'I come to help you.'
来 (lái) means 'to come' or 'to arrive' in Chinese. It can also imply coming around or a sense of next in time. This character is commonly used in various phrases and expressions in everyday conversation.
You can say '他来我家' (tā lái wǒ jiā) which means 'He comes to my house'.
Yes, 来 can be used to indicate future events, such as '明天我来' (míngtiān wǒ lái), meaning 'I will come tomorrow'.
来 means 'to come' (towards the speaker), while 去 means 'to go' (away from the speaker).
