出来 vs 出去 (chūlái vs chūqù): directional complements toward or away from the speaker
Both 出来 and 出去 mean 'out' as a compound directional complement, but they differ in the deictic reference point. 出来 indicates motion out toward the speaker (or the speaker's current location), while 出去 indicates motion out away from the speaker. Additionally, 出来 has a common figurative meaning 'to figure out' or 'to come up with', a sense that 出去 does not share.
The compound complements 出来 (chūlái) and 出去 (chūqù) both describe the action of moving from inside to outside, but the choice depends on the speaker's deictic perspective. 出来 signals that the motion is directed toward the speaker (or the speaker’s current location), whereas 出去 signals motion away from the speaker. This deictic distinction is the same as the basic 来 vs 去 contrast. In addition, 出来 is widely used in a figurative sense meaning “to figure out, to come up with (a solution, idea, etc.)”, for example in 想出来 (xiǎng chūlái) “to think up” or 看出来 (kàn chūlái) “to perceive”. 出去 does not have this figurative usage and is restricted to physical movement or sometimes metaphorical movement away from a reference point. Choosing the wrong directional complement can change the meaning or make the sentence ungrammatical from the speaker’s perspective.
When to use each
Use 出来 when the movement from inside to outside is directed toward the speaker or toward the location where the speaker currently is. For example, if you are outside a room and someone inside comes out to where you are, that is 出来. Also use 出来 in figurative expressions meaning “to figure out, to come up with” something, such as 想出来 (xiǎng chūlái) or 看出来 (kàn chūlái).
In physical directional usage, the speaker may not be the literal endpoint but the reference point is always the speaker’s position. For figurative 出来, the implied “arrival” is at a mental or cognitive location (the speaker’s mind).
Use 出去 when the movement from inside to outside is directed away from the speaker, i.e., the speaker is inside and the person/object moves out, or when the speaker is not present but the action is understood as leaving a location that is the speaker’s reference (e.g., home, room). Also used in commands like 出去！ (Go out!) when the speaker is inside the space from which the listener is to exit.
If the speaker is outside a room and someone inside walks out toward them, 出去 is incorrect because the motion is toward the speaker. In that case 出来 must be used. 出去 never has the figurative ‘figure out’ meaning.
At a glance
| 出来 | 出去 | |
|---|---|---|
| Direction relative to speaker | Toward the speaker | Away from the speaker |
| Figurative meaning ('figure out') | Yes (e.g., 想出来, 看出来) | No |
| Typical command context | Speaker outside telling someone inside to come out | Speaker inside telling someone to go out |
| Negation | 没出来 (didn't come out) | 没出去 (didn't go out) |
Examples
- 出来他从房间里走出来了。Tā cóng fángjiān lǐ zǒu chūlái le.He walked out of the room (toward the speaker).The speaker is outside the room, so the motion is toward the speaker.
- 出去你出去吧，我要工作了。Nǐ chūqù ba, wǒ yào gōngzuò le.Please go out; I need to work.The speaker is inside, telling the listener to exit away from the speaker.
- 出来这个问题我终于想出来了！Zhège wèntí wǒ zhōngyú xiǎng chūlái le!I finally figured out this problem!Figurative use of 出来 meaning 'come up with a solution'.
- 出去他已经走出教室去了。Tā yǐjīng zǒu chū jiàoshì qù le.He has already walked out of the classroom (away from the speaker).The speaker is inside the classroom, so the motion is away.
- 出来你出来一下，我有话跟你说。Nǐ chūlái yīxià, wǒ yǒu huà gēn nǐ shuō.Come out for a moment; I have something to tell you.The speaker is outside, asking the listener to come toward them.
- 出去别出去，外面下雨呢。Bié chūqù, wàimiàn xiàyǔ ne.Don't go out; it's raining outside.The speaker is inside, advising not to move away.
Common mistakes
- Using 出去 instead of 出来 when the speaker is outside and someone inside moves outward toward the speaker. For example, if you are standing outside a room and call someone to come out, you must say 出来, not 出去.
- Using 出来 for the figurative sense is correct, but using 出去 to mean 'figure out' (e.g., ✗ 想出去 as 'figure out') is wrong because 出去 lacks that figurative meaning.
- Mixing up deictic direction in commands: when you are inside a room and tell someone to exit, you say 出去；when you are outside and tell someone to come out to you, you say 出来.
- Using 出来 to describe a movement that ends away from the speaker, e.g., if you are inside and watch someone leave the building, you must use 出去, not 出来.
FAQ
- When do I use 出来 vs 出去?
- Use 出来 when the action of coming out is directed toward the speaker (or the speaker’s location). Use 出去 when it is directed away from the speaker. The key is to think about where the speaker is relative to the movement.
- Can 出来 and 出去 be used figuratively?
- Only 出来 has a common figurative meaning: 'to figure out, to come up with' as in 想出来 (xiǎng chūlái) 'to think of' or 看出来 (kàn chūlái) 'to perceive'. 出去 is only used for physical motion away.
- If I am outside a room and someone inside walks out, which word should I use?
- You should use 出来 because the person is moving toward you (the speaker). For example: '他从房间里走出来了' (Tā cóng fángjiān lǐ zǒu chūlái le). Using 出去 would imply the motion is away from you, which is incorrect.
- How do I say 'Go out!' in Chinese?
- It depends on your location. If you are inside the room and telling someone to leave, say '出去！' (chūqù!). If you are outside the room and telling someone to come out to you, say '出来！' (chūlái!).