A Character a Day 来

Notes pertaining to this video:




Good morning, in this video we 'll talk about this character 来. It sounds as lai2, and it basically means to come, arrive.

The oldest writing looks like this .




which is still used in Hongkong and Taiwan.

. It was actually a picture of the wheat. We can still see it as part of the traditional writing of wheat:

So this character originally means wheat. But as time went by, its usage changed. Now it means to come, arrive.

For example, someone is calling 'help! ' Then you go over and the same time say' I am coming.' How to say 'I am coming' . That will be "我来了".

Compared to the 'come' in English, 来 has much more complicated usage in our daily speaking. It can be used after a verb to describe the direction of the action.

For example,

进来， 进 enter, 来 come. 进来 means come in.

出来， 出 exit, out, 出来 means come out.

来 can also proceed a verb to indicate an intention to do sth.

我来试一试。 Let me try it.

我来做。 Let me do it.