{{Grammar Box}} 

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." 

==Expressing an upward movement==

=== Structure ===

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

<div class="jiegou">
Verb + 起来
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 请 大家 <em>站 起来</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng dàjiā <em>zhàn qǐlái</em>.</span><span class="trans">Everyone, please stand up.</span>
* 快 把 地上 的 书 <em>捡 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>
* 你 怎么 不 把 老人 <em>扶 起来</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ zěnme bù bǎ lǎorén <em>fú qǐlái</em>? </span><span class="trans"> Why didn't you keep the old man upright? </span>
* 别 动 ！ 把 手 <em>举 起来</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Bié dòng! Bǎ shǒu <em>jǔ qǐlái</em>.</span><span class="trans">Don't move! Put your hands up.</span>
</div>

== Expressing initiation of an action ==

=== Structure ===

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

<div class="jiegou">
Verb / Adj. + 起来 +了
</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 大家 <em>笑 起来</em> 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Dàjiā <em>xiào qǐlái</em> le.</span><span class="trans">Everyone started laughing.</span>
* 宝宝 <em>哭 起来</em> 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Bǎobǎo <em>kū qǐlái</em> le.</span><span class="trans">The baby started crying.</span>
* 两 个 大妈 <em>吵 起来</em> 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Liǎng gè dàmā <em>chǎo qǐlái</em> le.</span><span class="trans">Two middle-aged ladies started arguing.</span>
* 天气 <em>热 起来</em> 了 。 <span class="pinyin">Tiānqì <em>rè qǐlái</em> le.</span><span class="trans">It's starting to get hot.</span>
* 他 的 病 <em>好 起来</em>了 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā de bìng <em>hǎo qǐlái</em> le.</span><span class="trans">His illness is starting to get better.</span>
</div>

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. 

<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li class="x"> 我们 做饭 起来 吧。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>zuòfàn qǐlái</em> ba.</span> </li>
<li class="o"> 我们 开始 做饭 吧。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen kāishǐ <em>zuòfàn</em> ba.</span></li>
</ul>
	
</div>

==Expressing 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 ===

<div class="jiegou">
Subj. + Verb + 起来 + Adj.
</div>

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

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">
* 他 <em>看 起来</em> 很 友好。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>kàn qǐlái</em> hěn yǒuhǎo.</span><span class="trans">He looks very friendly.</span>
* 这 件 事情 <em>听 起来</em> 有点 复杂。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shìqing <em>tīng qǐlái</em> yǒudiǎn fùzá.</span><span class="trans">This matter sounds a little bit complex.</span>
* 你 点 的 菜 <em>尝 起来</em> 不错。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ diǎn de cài <em>cháng qǐlái</em> bùcuò.</span><span class="trans">The dishes that you ordered taste good .</span>
* 这 件 衣服 <em>摸 起来</em> 很 舒服。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu <em>mō qǐlái</em> hěn shūfu.</span><span class="trans">These clothes feel very comfortable.</span>
</div>

== See Also ==
* [[Result complement "xiaqu"|下去]]
* [[Resultative Complement "chu(lai)"|出来]]
* [[Direction complement]]
* [[Result complements "dao" and "jian"]]
* [[Appearance with "kanqilai"]]

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===
* [[Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) ]] (pp. 25-31) [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ →buy] 
* [[Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 2 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) ]] (pp. 80)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7301078617/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7301078617 →buy] 
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 5 (新实用汉语课本5) ]] (pp. 134-5)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561914083/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561914083 →buy]
*[[40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册）]] (pp. 355-6)[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20 →buy]
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2]] (p. 20) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0887276881 →buy]

=== Websites ===

* Yale: [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/mandarin/content/directional/grammar/direction-3a.htm Extended meaning of some directional complements]
{{Basic Grammar|起来|B1|Verb + 起来|站 <em>起来</em>！说 <em>起来</em> 容易，做 <em>起来</em> 难。|grammar point|ASGBPXOB}}
{{Rel char|起}}
{{Rel char|来}}
{{Similar|Further Uses of Resultative Complement "qilai"}}
{{Similar|Result complement "xiaqu"|下去}}
{{Similar|Resultative Complement "chu(lai)"|出来}}
{{Similar|Direction complement}}
{{Similar|Result complements "dao" and "jian"}}
{{Similar|Appearance with "kanqilai"}}
{{Similar|Result complement "-cuo"}}
{{Similar|Result complement "-hao"}}
{{Used for|Expressing result}}
{{Used for|Describing actions}}
{{Used for|Expressing movement}}
{{Structure|Complements}}
{{Subprop|Result complement}}