Using "lai" and "qu" when "verbing around"

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

The same verb should repeat in this pattern. Single-syllable verbs are most common.

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。Xuéshēngmen dōu hěn jǐnzhāng, zài kǎochǎng wàimiàn zǒu lái zǒu qù.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。Tā shuō lái shuō qù hái bù chéngrèn zìjǐ cuò le.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？Wǒ xiǎnglái xiǎng qù dōu xiǎng bù míngbái, tā zěnme néng nàyàng duì wǒ?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。Tā fān lái fān qù, zhōngyú zhǎodào le nà shuāng pò wàzi.He searched everywhere and finally found the pair of worn-out socks.

See also

• "Verbing away" using "zhe"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 191-2) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• HSK Standard Course 5上 (pp. 66) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

HSK5