Chinese Grammar Reference logo

    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing "to come" with 来 (lái)

    Direction & Movement

    Structure

    Subject + 来 + Destination

    Explanation

    来 (lái) means "to come" and indicates movement toward the speaker or a reference point. It is one of the most fundamental directional verbs in Chinese and frequently appears in compound expressions like 来自 (to come from).

    Examples

    • 你什么时候来我家吃饭?

      Nǐ shénme shíhou lái wǒ jiā chīfàn?

      When will you come to my house for dinner?

    • 春天来了,公园里的花都开了。

      Chūntiān láile, gōngyuán lǐ de huā dōu kāile.

      Spring has come, and all the flowers in the park are blooming.

    Expressing "to come" with 来 (lái) | Chinese Grammar