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來

简 来 · 繁 來
Mandarin · pinyin lái

Meanings

  1. to come
  2. (used as a substitute for a more specific verb)
  3. hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來 huí lai)
  4. ever since (as in 自古以來 zì gǔ yǐ lái)
  5. for the past (amount of time)
  6. (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世 lái shì)
  7. (between two verbs) in order to
  8. (after a round number) approximately
  9. (used after 得 dé to indicate possibility, as in 談得來 tán de lái, or after 不 bù to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不來 chī bu lái)
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Characters in this entry

來
lái · come, coming; return, returning
来
lái · come, coming; return, returning
Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Entries containing 來 ↗Words written with 來 ↗Words written with 来 ↗

Mandarin tones

2 · lai2

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Sentences in context

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Rime · Wiktionary

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

lai4 · loi4 · loi6

Cantonese word readings for 來. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

character · Etymology 1

  1. to come; to arrive
  2. to happen; to occur
  3. to do (specific meaning depending on the context)
  4. since
  5. next; coming; future
  6. (after a number) about; approximately; around
  7. Used after a verb of motion to indicate movement toward the speaker.
  8. Used before a verb to express volition.
  9. An interjection to draw attention.
  10. Used with 不 or 得 to express capability.
  11. Used after numerals in colloquial lists.
  12. Meaningless particle for rhythmic purposes.
  13. (Shanghainese) currently
  14. (～母) (Chinese linguistics) the Middle Chinese initial of 來 (MC loj)
  15. a surname
  16. in order to

character · Etymology 2

  1. (obsolete) wheat

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

來 · lai2
CC-CEDICT contributors and MDBG · edition 2026-10-13 · source line 7,668
Original dictionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source & transformation details
Exact source record來 来 [lai2] /to come/(used as a substitute for a more specific verb)/hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來|回来[hui2 lai5])/ever since (as in 自古以來|自古以来[zi4 gu3 yi3 lai2])/for the past (amount of time)/(prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世|来世[lai2 shi4])/(between two verbs) in order to/(after a round number) approximately/(used after 得[de2] to indicate possibility, as in 談得來|谈得来[tan2 de5 lai2], or after 不[bu4] to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不來|吃不来[chi1 bu5 lai2])/