Learn a Chinese Character - 来

1. Character Basics

Radical: 来 (lái radical)

Stroke Count: 7

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: lái (Second tone)

3. Meaning

To come; to arrive; to come from; to future; next; to become; to be coming; to approach; to happen

4. Common Words

• 来到 (láidào) - to arrive at; to come to
• 来自 (láizì) - to come from; originating from
• 未来 (wèilái) - future; coming; impending
• 后来 (hòulái) - afterwards; later; subsequently
• 来回 (láihuí) - back and forth; to go and return
• 出来 (chūlái) - to come out; to emerge; to appear
• 起来 (qǐlái) - to stand up; to rise; to get up
• 来得及 (láidejí) - to have enough time; to be able to do sth in time

5. Grammar & Usage

The character "来" is one of the most common verbs in Chinese, with versatile grammatical functions:

1. As a main verb: Expresses the action of coming or arriving

• 他来中国学习汉语。(Tā lái Zhōngguó xuéxí Hànyǔ.) - He came to China to study Chinese.
• 春天来了。(Chūntiān lái le.) - Spring has come.

2. As a directional complement: Used after verbs to indicate movement towards the speaker

• 请进来说。(Qǐng jìnlái shuō.) - Please come in and speak.
• 把书拿过来。(Bǎ shū ná guòlái.) - Bring the book over here.

3. In time expressions: Indicates future time or next occurrence

• 下个月 (xià ge yuè) - next month
• 来年 (lái nián) - next year

4. Auxiliary usage: Forms aspect markers like "来着" (láizhe) to indicate recent past actions

• 他刚才还在这儿来着。(Tā gāngcái hái zài zhèr láizhe.) - He was here just a moment ago.

6. Cultural Background

The character "来" holds significant cultural meaning in Chinese society, representing arrival, presence, and hospitality. Its usage extends beyond literal movement to convey welcoming and inclusion.

In traditional Chinese culture, "来" is frequently used in greeting rituals and hospitality expressions. Phrases like "欢迎来我家" (Huānyíng lái wǒ jiā - Welcome to my home) reflect the importance of making guests feel included and valued.

The character appears in many traditional sayings and proverbs, such as "来者不拒" (Láizhě bù jù - Welcome all who come), emphasizing openness and acceptance. This reflects the Confucian value of treating others with respect and generosity.

In modern contexts, "来" is used in numerous cultural expressions, from festival greetings to business interactions. It symbolizes progress and forward movement, as seen in terms like "未来" (wèilái - future), which carries positive connotations of hope and potential.

The character's simple yet expressive form has made it a popular choice in Chinese calligraphy, often used to convey themes of arrival, opportunity, and positive change.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character "来" (lái) has a relatively simple structure with 7 strokes, making it easy to remember with these tips:

• Shape association: The character resembles a person walking towards you with arms slightly raised, representing the action of coming
• Stroke order mnemonic: Start with the horizontal line (一), then the vertical line with a hook (丨), followed by the two horizontal lines (二), and finish with the horizontal line and hook at the bottom
• Sound connection: Pronounce "lái" while writing the character to create an audio-visual memory link
• Common word association: Connect with the word "未来" (wèilái - future), imagining writing the character as building your future
• Directional memory: Think of the character's bottom hook as pulling you forward, representing coming towards a destination

Writing the character several times while saying its meaning and pronunciation will help reinforce muscle memory and recognition.