來 meaning and stroke order
To arrive, to come, to return; in the future, later on
How to write 來, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Meaning of 來
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- 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])
- ever since (as in 自古以來|自古以来[zi4 gu3 yi3 lai2])
- for the past (amount of time)
- (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世|来世[lai2 shi4])
How 來 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A wheat plant that has just borne fruit; compare 来.
Radical: 人 (man), shared by 30 characters on this site.
How to remember 來
來 shows a wheat plant that has just borne fruit: a 木 (tree, plant) stalk with two little 人 (people) shapes hanging on it like grain heads. Picture people coming to the field to harvest the wheat, and you have "to come."
來 (lái) is the traditional form of 来 and is used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and older texts. It means "to come" on its own and also follows other verbs to show motion toward the speaker, often in the neutral tone. Example: 你什麼時候回來? (Nǐ shénme shíhou huílai?) When are you coming back?
Common mistake: Learners often say lái with a full second tone in every word, but as a directional complement it is usually neutral, as in 回來 (huílai) and 進來 (jìnlai). Also do not confuse 來 with 夾 (jiā, to pinch), which has a 大 frame instead of a 木 center.
Common words with 來
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 回來 | huílái | to return; to come back | HSK 1 |
| 出來 | chūlái | to come out; to appear | HSK 1 |
| 進來 | jìnlái | to come in | HSK 1 |
| 來到 | láidào | to arrive; to come | HSK 1 |
| 過來 | guòlái | to come over; to manage | HSK 2 |
| 帶來 | dàilái | to bring; (fig.) to bring about; to produce | HSK 2 |
| 來自 | láizì | to come from (a place); From: (in email header) | HSK 2 |
| 原來 | yuánlái | original; former; originally; formerly; at first | HSK 2 |
| 後來 | hòulái | afterwards; later; newly arrived | HSK 2 |
| 接下來 | jiē xiàlái | to accept; to take | HSK 2 |
| 越來越 | yuè lái yuè | more and more | HSK 2 |
| 看起來 | kàn qǐlái | seemingly; apparently; looks as if; appears to be; gives the impression that; seems on the | HSK 3 |
| 下來 | xiàlái | to come down; (completed action marker) | HSK 3 |
| 從來 | cónglái | always; at all times | HSK 3 |
Characters that contain 來
Learning 來 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 來
How many strokes are in 來?
來 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 來 mean?
來 (lái) means to arrive, to come, to return; in the future, later on. A common word with it is 回来 (huílái), meaning "to return; to come back".
How do you pronounce 來?
來 is pronounced lái, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 來?
The radical of 來 is 人, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 來 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 來?
來 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 来, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How is 來 different from 去?
來 (lái) means movement toward the speaker, while 去 (qù) means movement away from the speaker. So 過來 (guòlai) means "come over here" and 過去 (guòqu) means "go over there."
Why do people say 我來 when they are not going anywhere?
來 can stand in for a more specific verb, meaning "let me do it." For example, 我來吧 (wǒ lái ba) can mean "let me handle it" when offering to pay, carry something, or take over a task.