上来 (shàng lái) — to come up (toward the speaker); (verb complement) successfully, up to standard (used after a verb)

Definition

上来 (shàng lái) means 'come up' (toward the speaker) or, as a complement, that something got done successfully. As a complement it focuses on upward or toward-speaker motion; 出来 marks something emerging or becoming visible.

verb
to come up (toward the speaker)(verb complement) successfullyup to standard (used after a verb)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 上来。
    Péng you cóng lóu xià shàng lái le.
    The friend came up from downstairs.
  • ，上来。
    Lǎo shī, qǐng shàng lái.
    Teacher, please come up.
  • 上来。
    Tā huí dá shàng lái le zhè ge wèn tí.
    He managed to answer this question.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

上shànggo up
来láicome

上 is go up and 来 is toward the speaker, giving the sense of coming up.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

上 is drawn as a short horizontal line placed above a longer arc, marking a position above that arc.

Open 上 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 來; 来 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 來 shows a wheat plant: a central ear, upward leaves, and downward stem and roots. The simplified 来 is a later shorthand.

Open 来 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 2Directions5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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