来着 (lái zhe) — (sentence-final particle) indicates a past action, often with a tone of recollection or uncertainty

Definition

Sentence-final particle placed after a verb to show the action happened in the past, often when the speaker has just remembered it or is unsure of the details.

suffix
(sentence-final particle) indicates a past action, often with a tone of recollection or uncertainty

Examples

  • 来着？
    Nǐ gāng cái shuō shén me lái zhe?
    What were you just saying?
  • 来着，。
    Wǒ zuó tiān qù chāo shì lái zhe, wàng le mǎi jī dàn.
    I went to the supermarket yesterday, but I forgot to buy eggs.
  • 来着？
    Tā shì bu shì zài běi jīng gōng zuò lái zhe?
    Did he work in Beijing, or something like that?

Origin

Characters in this word

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 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 著; 着 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss; plant
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě著zháo
Same sound today

The traditional form 著 puts 艸 (grass; plant) above 者, which gives the sound; the simplified 着 is a later shorthand.

Open 着 →

Grammar

Appears in
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