Using "lai" to connect two verb phrases

The word 来 (lái) can be used to connect two verb phrases, relating the actions to each other. It can be translated as "in order to" or "so that" and it can help in explaining reasoning.

Structure

Connecting two verb phrases is very straightforward. All you need to do is place 来 in between them. This has the meaning of doing the first verb to achieve the second verb. Often used with words expressing a way or a method, e.g. "通过" (tōng guò) , "用" (yòng).

通过 / 用 + Verb Phrase 1 + 来 + Verb Phrase 2

Examples

• 中国人用 筷子 来 吃饭。Zhōngguó rén yòng kuàizi lái chīfàn.Chinese people use chopsticks in order to eat.
• 用 这 种 方法 来 赚钱，真 丢人。Yòng zhè zhǒng fāngfǎ lái zhuànqián, zhēn diūrén.Using this method to earn money is shameful.
• 你 可 以 用 米饭 来 当 胶水。Nǐ kěyǐ yòng mǐfàn lái dāng jiāoshuǐ.You can use rice as glue.
• 我们 可以 通过 打折 来 吸引 顾客。Wǒmen kěyǐ tōngguò dǎzhé lái xīyǐn gùkè.We can use a sale as a method to attract customers.
• 你 只能 通过 自己 努力 来 找到 好 工作。Nǐ zhǐ néng tōngguò zìjǐ nǔlì lái zhǎodào hǎo gōngzuò.You can only use your own efforts in order to find a good job.

See Also

• Expressing purpose with "weile"
• Facilitating an Outcome with "yibian"
• Expressing Purpose with "hao"

Sources and Further Reading

• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 268) →buy