來
简 來 · 来 · 繁 來Meanings · lai4 / loi4
- to come
- to arrive
- to come round
- ever since
- next
- for
- in
- during
- over
- used after a verb to indicate that an action has happened
- to do something
- an interjection
- a surname
- used after a number when listing out points
- used after a sentence to add emphasis
Meanings · loi6
- to greet and welcome guests
About these definitions
Source definition segments, in their original order. Characters a definition cites are shown without their Mandarin pinyin; classifier lists that CC-Canto copied from CC-CEDICT are marked Mandarin. The community dictionary is not independently verified by zimai.
Reading & tones
Schematic citation-tone diagrams from the source numbers. These are not recordings or predictions of connected speech.
Reading difference from Unihan
- 來 has the reading lai4 here; Unihan’s citation reading is loi4. Different syllable across these source readings. CC-Canto also lists 來 lai4 as its own entry.
Computed by zimai: each syllable of the CC-Canto word reading is compared with Unihan 17.0.0 kCantonese for its character. The comparison does not say why a reading differs (a changed tone, 變音, a reading tied to one meaning, or a source variant).
Same syllable, six tones
Characters whose customary Unihan reading (kCantonese) is this syllable in each tone, chosen as in the tone atlas (2013 standard level, then the number of CC-CEDICT words they form), with CC-Canto 2017's meaning for that reading; a dash means no catalogue character has that reading. Checked syllables (-p, -t, -k) normally carry tones 1, 3 and 6. Character readings, not word readings; no frequency implied.
Written characters
Both source spellings are represented. Written membership is not an etymological or semantic claim.
Mandarin comparison · separate source entries
CC-CEDICT, the Mandarin–English dictionary, lists the same written form:
- 來 lái CC-CEDICT · Mandarinto come; (used as a substitute for a more specific verb); hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來 huí lai); ever since (as in 自古以來 zì gǔ yǐ lái); for the past (amount of time); (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世 lái shì); (between two verbs) in order to; (after a round number) approximately; …
A separate source entry, shown for comparison. The same characters can carry different senses in Mandarin and in Cantonese; zimai does not align these senses.
CC-Canto includes this pinyin reference: lai2. It does not establish a Mandarin word with the same meaning.
Look up this spelling in the Mandarin dictionary ↗Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 17 senses · 3 Cantonese readings
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
- to come; to arrive
- to happen; to occur
- to do (specific meaning depending on the context)
- since
- next; coming; future
- (after a number) about; approximately; around
- Used after a verb of motion to indicate movement toward the speaker.
- Used before a verb to express volition.
- An interjection to draw attention.
- Used with 不 or 得 to express capability.
- Used after numerals in colloquial lists.
- Meaningless particle for rhythmic purposes.
- (Shanghainese) currently
- (～母) (Chinese linguistics) the Middle Chinese initial of 來 (MC loj)
- a surname
- in order to
character · Etymology 2
- (obsolete) wheat
Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history
Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack