Chinese word

上来

Pronunciation

Pinyinshàng lái

Meaning

  • verbcome up

Example

快点上来，我们要开始了。kuài diǎn shàng lái wǒ men yào kāi shǐ le

Come up quickly; we're going to start.

Illustration for 上来 (come up)

More examples

小猫慢慢地走上来，看着我们。xiǎo māo màn màn dì zǒu shàng lái kàn zhe wǒ men

The kitten walks up slowly, looking at us.

Core concept

Movement rises from a lower place toward the speaker, and an unseen feeling or state can likewise rise into the speaker's awareness.

Common phrases

  • 走上来zǒu shàng lái

    walk up

  • 跑上来pǎo shàng lái

    run up

Similar words

上去shàng qù: Move upward from a lower place toward a place away from the speaker.
过来guò lái: Come from a distant place toward the speaker.
进来jìn lái: Enter from outside or another place and come into the speaker's location.
起来qǐ lái: Rise to a standing position or begin moving.

Definition in Chinese

表示人或物从低处向上并朝说话者方向移动，也可指某种感觉或状态逐渐在说话者一方显现。biǎo shì rén huò wù cóng dī chù xiàng shàng bìng cháo shuō huà zhě fāng xiàng yí dòng yě kě zhǐ móu zhǒng gǎn jué huò zhuàng tài zhú jiàn zài shuō huà zhě yì fāng xiǎn xiàn

Word origin

上 (shàng, "up") + 来 (lái, "come") combines upward movement with arrival on the speaker's side, which extends naturally to feelings or states becoming present.

Usage tips

  • English often uses "come" alone where Chinese keeps the upward viewpoint, so the direction is part of the meaning rather than extra scene detail.

Other meanings

  • comeverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word