Difference between revisions of "Direction complement "-qilai""

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*请 大家 <em>起来</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng dàjiā <em>zhàn qǐlái</em>.</span><span class="trans">Everyone, please stand up.</span>
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*快 把 地上 的 书 <em>起来</em>。<span class="pinyin">Kuài bǎ dìshàng de shū <em>jiǎn qǐlái</em>.</span><span class="trans">Quickly pick up the books on the floor.</span>
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*请 大家 <strong>站</strong> <em>起来</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng dàjiā <strong>zhàn</strong><em>qǐlái</em>.</span><span class="trans">Everyone, please stand up.</span>
*你 怎么 不 老人 <em>起来</em> <span class="pinyin">Nǐ zěnme bù lǎorén <em>qǐlái</em>? </span><span class="trans"> Why didn't you keep the old man upright? </span>
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*头 <strong>抬</strong> <em>起来</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tóu <strong>tái</strong><em>qǐlái</em>.</span><span class="trans">Raise your head.</span>
*别 动 !把 手 <em>起来</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Bié dòng! Bǎ shǒu <em>qǐlái</em>.</span><span class="trans">Don't move! Put your hands up.</span>
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*请 <strong></strong> 地上 的 垃圾 <strong>捡</strong> <em>起来</em><span class="pinyin">Qǐng <strong></strong>dìshàng de lājī <strong>jiǎn</strong> <em>qǐlái</em>.</span><span class="trans">Pick up the trash on the floor, please.</span>
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*别动 !<strong>把</strong> <strong>举</strong><em>起来</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Bié dòng! <strong></strong> shǒu <em>qǐlái</em>.</span><span class="trans">Don't move! Put your hands up.</span>
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Revision as of 06:55, 6 February 2018

起来 (qǐlái) comes up very frequently in Chinese and can be used both literally and figuratively. This is a little like the usage of "up" in English which can be used literally, as in "stand up," or figuratively, as in "add up." When used figuratively, 起来 often serves as a direction complement.

Basic Meaning

Structure

起来 can be used to express an upward movement like "up," as in the English examples of "stand up" or "pick up."

Verb + 起来

Examples

  • 请 大家 起来Qǐng dàjiā zhànqǐlái.Everyone, please stand up.
  • 起来Tóu táiqǐlái.Raise your head.
  • 地上 的 垃圾 起来Qǐng dìshàng de lājī jiǎn qǐlái.Pick up the trash on the floor, please.
  • 别动 !起来Bié dòng! shǒu jǔ qǐlái.Don't move! Put your hands up.

Used as "initiation of an action"

Structure

起来 can also be used to show that an action or state has started and is ongoing:

Verb / Adj.+ 起来 +了

Examples

  • 小鸟 起来 了 。Xiǎoniǎo fēi qǐlai le.The birds starts flying.
  • 宝宝 起来 了 。 Bǎobao qǐlái le.The baby started crying.
  • 两 个 大妈 起来 了 。 Liǎng gè dàmā chǎo qǐlái le.Two middle-aged ladies started arguing.
  • 天气 起来 了 。 Tiānqì qǐlái le.It's starting to get hot.
  • 他 的 身体 起来 了 。 Tā de shēntǐ hǎo qǐlái le.His health is starting to get better.

When used like this, 起来 is only used with spontaneous actions, like 唱, 跳, 聊, or with states like 热, 冷, or 好 etc. It cannot be used with planned actions.

  • 我们 做饭 起来 吧。Wǒmen zuòfàn qǐlái ba.
  • 我们 开始 做饭 吧。Wǒmen kāishǐ zuòfàn ba.

Used for An Initial Judgement

起来 can also be used to express a preliminary judgement. 起来 is used here to express that the speaker has only just initiated an action, and based on that, has made a quick judgement. It is used in the following structure:

Structure

Subj. + Verb + 起来 + Adj.

This expresses that the subject seems adjective when the action of the verb is performed. This structure is frequently used with perception verbs such as 看, 听, 尝 etc.

Examples

  • 看 起来 很 友好。kàn qǐlái hěn yǒuhǎo.He looks very friendly.
  • 这 件 事情 听 起来 有点 复杂。Zhè jiàn shìqing tīng qǐlái yǒudiǎn fùzá.This matter sounds a little bit complex.
  • 你 点 的 菜 尝 起来 不错。Nǐ diǎn de cài cháng qǐlái bùcuò.The dishes that you ordered taste good .
  • 这 件 衣服 摸 起来 很 舒服。Zhè jiàn yīfu mō qǐlái hěn shūfu.These clothes feel very comfortable.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites