Difference between revisions of "Using "lai" and "qu" when "verbing around""
| Line 13: | Line 13: | ||
<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | * 学生们 都 很 紧张，在 考场 外面 <em>走 来 走 去</em>。 | + | * 学生们 都 很 紧张，在 考场 外面 <em>走 来 走 去</em>。<span class="trans">The students are all nervous, they are all pacing back and forth outside of the exam room.</span> |
| − | * 他 <em>说 来 说 去</em> | + | * 他 <em>说 来 说 去</em> 还 不 承认 自己 错 了。<span class="trans">He's been yakking a lot, but he still hasn't admitted that he's wrong.</span> |
| − | * 我 <em>想 来 想 去</em> 都 想 不 明白，他 怎么 能 那样 对 我？ | + | * 我 <em>想 来 想 去</em> 都 想 不 明白，他 怎么 能 那样 对 我？<span class="trans">I've thought and thought about it, but I can't understand, how could you treat me like that?</span> |
| − | * 他 <em>翻 来 翻 去</em>， 终于 找 到 了 那 双 破 袜子。 | + | * 他 <em>翻 来 翻 去</em>， 终于 找 到 了 那 双 破 袜子。<span class="trans">He searched everywhere and finally found the pair of worn-out socks.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 09:16, 3 July 2013
-
Level
-
Similar to
-
Used for
-
Keywords
This structure can be used if want to say you are "verbing without a clear direction". It's sort of like "verbing this way and that." The same verb is repeated before the 来(lái) and 去 (qù). So for example, 走来走去 is a bit like "walking here and there" or "walking this way and that."
Structure
Verb + 来 + Verb + 去
Examples
In a sentence, this structure looks like this:
- 学生们 都 很 紧张，在 考场 外面 走 来 走 去。The students are all nervous, they are all pacing back and forth outside of the exam room.
- 他 说 来 说 去 还 不 承认 自己 错 了。He's been yakking a lot, but he still hasn't admitted that he's wrong.
- 我 想 来 想 去 都 想 不 明白，他 怎么 能 那样 对 我？I've thought and thought about it, but I can't understand, how could you treat me like that?
- 他 翻 来 翻 去， 终于 找 到 了 那 双 破 袜子。He searched everywhere and finally found the pair of worn-out socks.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 191-2) →buy
