<!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta name="generator" content= "HTML Tidy for HTML5 for Linux version 5.2.0" /> <title></title> </head> <body> <p>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."</p> <h2 id="expressing-an-upward-movement">Expressing an upward movement</h2> <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3> <p>起来 can be used to express an upward movement like "up," as in the English examples of "stand up" or "pick up."</p> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Verb + 起来</p> </div> <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="expressing-initiation-of-an-action">Expressing initiation of an action</h2> <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3> <p>起来 can also be used to show that an action or state has started and is ongoing:</p> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Verb / Adj. + 起来 +了</p> </div> <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> </ul> </div> <p>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.</p> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>我们 做饭 起来 吧。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>zuòfàn qǐlái</em> ba.</span></li> <li>我们 开始 做饭 吧。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen kāishǐ <em>zuòfàn</em> ba.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="expressing-an-initial-judgement">Expressing an initial judgement</h2> <p>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:</p> <h3 id="structure-2">Structure</h3> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Subj. + Verb + 起来 + Adj.</p> </div> <p>This expresses that the subject seems <em>adjective</em> when the action of the verb is performed. This structure is frequently used with <a href="perception_verb" title="wikilink">perception verbs</a> such as 看, 听, 尝 etc.</p> <h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> <li>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></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2> <ul> <li><a href="Result_complement_"xiaqu"" title= "wikilink">下去</a></li> <li><a href="Resultative_Complement_"chu(lai)"" title= "wikilink">出来</a></li> <li><a href="Direction_complement" title="wikilink">Direction complement</a></li> <li><a href= "Result_complements_"dao"_and_"jian"" title= "wikilink">Result complements "dao" and "jian"</a></li> <li><a href="Appearance_with_"kanqilai"" title= "wikilink">Appearance with "kanqilai"</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href= "Chinese_Grammar_-_Broken_down_into_100_items_-_Basic_and_Intermediate_Levels_(%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95%E7%99%BE%E9%A1%B9%E8%AE%B2%E7%BB%83_-_%E5%88%9D%E4%B8%AD%E7%BA%A7)" title="wikilink">Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)</a> (pp. 25-31) <a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href= "Boya_Chinese_Elementary_Starter_2_(%E5%8D%9A%E9%9B%85%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%88%9D%E7%BB%8F%E8%B5%B7%E6%AD%A5%E7%AF%87)" title="wikilink">Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 2 (博雅汉语初经起步篇)</a> (pp. 80)<a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href= "New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_5_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC5)" title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 5 (新实用汉语课本5)</a> (pp. 134-5)<a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href= "40_Lessons_for_Basic_Chinese_Course_(%E5%9F%BA%E7%A1%80%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD40%E8%AF%BE%E4%B8%8B%E5%86%8C%EF%BC%89" title="wikilink">40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册）</a> (pp. 355-6)<a href= "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</a></li> <li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_2" title= "wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2</a> (p. 20) <a href= "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</a></li> </ul> <h3 id="websites">Websites</h3> <ul> <li>Yale: <a href= "http://comet.cls.yale.edu/mandarin/content/directional/grammar/direction-3a.htm"> Extended meaning of some directional complements</a></li> </ul> </body> </html>