eric
/
ChineseGrammarWiki


			
							123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120121122123124125126127128129130131132133134135136137138139140141142143144145146147148149150151152153154155156157158159160161162163164165166167168169170171172173174175176177178179180181182183184185186187188189190191192193194195196197198199200201202203204205206207208209210211212213214215216217218219220221222223224225226227228229230231232233234235236237238239240241242243244245246247248249250251252253254255256257258259260261262263264265266267268269270271272273274
							<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html>

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xmlns:epub="http://www.idpf.org/2007/ops">
<head>
<title>Direction complement</title>
<link href="../Styles/main.css" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css"/>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Direction complement
</h1>
<p>
Also known as: 趋向补语 (qūxiàng bǔyǔ), directional complement and complement of direction.
A direction complement is a complement used to describe the direction of a verb. A verb already has some inherent movement implied; adding a direction complement clearly shows where exactly that action is going.</p>

<h2>Contents</h2>

  
<div class="contents"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1 Simple Direction Complement </span></li>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1.1 Examples </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1.2 Adding a place with 到 </span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2 Compound Direction Complements </span></li>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2.1 Structure </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2.2 Examples </span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">3 Direction Complements with Objects </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4 Direction Complements with 把 </span></li>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4.1 Structure </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4.2 Examples </span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">5 Compared with Potential Complement </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">6 Additional Meanings </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">7 See also </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">8 Sources and further reading </span></li>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">8.1 Books </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">8.2 Websites </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">8.3 Videos</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
</div>

<h2>Simple Direction Complement</h2>

<p>The most basic (and common) form of direction complement is formed by a verb and 来 or 去:</p>

<div class="deux">Verb + 来 / 去</div>

<p>The most important thing to consider with direction complements is the position of the speaker. If the action moves towards the speaker or comes closer in any way, use 来. If the action moves away from the speaker or becomes more distant in any way, use 去.</p>

<div class="deux">Verb	+ Complement	Explanation
下</div>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">下来
xiàlái
The movement is down towards the speaker: "come down" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">下	下去
xiàqù
The movement is down away from the speaker: "go down" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">上	上来
shànglái
The movement is up towards the speaker: "come up" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">上	上去
shàngqù
The movement is up and away from the speaker: "go up" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">出	出来
chūlái
The movement is out and towards the speaker: "come out" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">出	出去
chūqù
The movement is out and away from the speaker: "go out" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">进	进来
jìnlái
The movement is in and towards the speaker: "come in" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">进	进去
jìnqù
The movement is in and away from the speaker: "go in" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">回	回来
huílái
The movement is towards the speaker: "come back" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">回	回去
huíqù
The movement is away from the speaker: "go back"</span><br/></li>
</ul>
<p>You might be wondering how the directional distinction between 来 and 去 works when you're talking about yourself moving. You can't move away from or towards yourself, so should it be 来 or 去? The answer is to look at the context of the movement you're talking about. Are you telling someone you'll see them tomorrow? Similar to English, in Chinese you'd say something like "I'll come and see you tomorrow."</p>

<h3>Examples</h3>

<p>You can use these simple compounds in a huge variety of situations. Here are some examples:</p>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">A: 我 在 楼上 ，你 上来 。
Wǒ zài lóushàng, nǐ shànglái.
I'm on the upper floor. Come up to me. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">B: 你 在 楼上 等 我 一下 。我 一会儿 就 上去 。
Nǐ zài lóushàng děng wǒ yīxià. Wǒ yīhuìr jiù shàngqù.
Please wait a moment on the upper floor. I'll come up in a few minutes. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">A: 出来 玩 吧 ，我们 在 酒吧 等 你 。
Chūlái wán ba, wǒmen zài jiǔbā děng nǐ.
Come and hang out with us. We'll be waiting in the bar. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">B: 我 妈 不 让 我 出去 。
B: Wǒ mā bù ràng wǒ chūqù.
B: My mother won't let me go out. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">A: 这 是 我家 ，进来 吧 ，随便 坐 。
Zhè shì wǒ jiā, jìnlái ba, suíbiàn zuò.
This is my house. Please come inside. Feel free to take a seat. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">B: 那 是 你 的 卧室 吗 ？我 能 进去 吗 ？
Nà shì nǐ de wòshì ma? Wǒ néng jìnqù ma?
Is that your bedroom? Can I go in? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">A: 你 下班 了 吗 ？几点 回来 吃饭 ？
Nǐ xiàbān le ma? Jǐ diǎn huílái chīfàn?
Are you off work now? When are you coming back for dinner? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">B: 我 今天 不 回去 吃饭 。
Wǒ jīntiān bù huíqù chīfàn.
I'm not going back home for dinner today.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2>Adding a place with 到</h2>

<p>Direction complements are very useful for talking about arriving at destinations. The structure for this is:</p>

<div class="deux">到 + Place + 来 / 去</div>

<p>Notice that you separate the verb from its direction complement. The location goes in between the two.</p>

<h3>A few examples:</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 下午 在 家 ，你 可以 到 我家 来 。
Wǒ xiàwǔ zài jiā, nǐ kěyǐ dào wǒ jiā lái.
I'm home this afternoon. You can come to my house. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">老板 让 你 马上 到 他 办公室 去 。
Lǎobǎn ràng nǐ mǎshàng dào tā bàngōngshì qù.
The boss is asking you to go over to his office right now.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<h2>Compound Direction Complements</h2>

<p>Direction complements can be more complex than just 来 or 去. You can form compound direction complements in the following way:</p>


上	下	进	出	回	过	起
来	上来	下来	进来	出来	回来	过来	起来
去	上去	下去	进去	出去	回去	过去	

<p>Many Chinese learners say 回来中国 or 回去美国 but these are both wrong. The correct way to say this is 回中国来 or 回美国去, because 回 is the verb, 来 and 去 are the directional complement. In spoken language, if the context is clear, people often omit 来，去 and only say 回美国 or 回中国.</p>

<p>These compounds can then be used in the same way as 来 and 去. Attach them to verbs to give detail about the direction of the action.</p>

<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">Verb + [Compound Direction Complement]</div>

<h3>Examples</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">请 站 起来 。
Qǐng zhàn qǐlái.
Please stand up. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">不要 让 它 跑 出去 。
Bùyào ràng tā pǎo chūqù.
Don't let it run out. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">从 我 家 走 过来 要 半 个 小时 。
Cóng wǒ jiā zǒu guòlái yào bàn gè xiǎoshí.
It took me half an hour to walk here from my place. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">你 包里 的 东西 都 拿 出来 了 吗 ？
Nǐ bāo lǐ de dōngxi dōu ná chūlái le ma?
Did you take all your stuff out of your bag?</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2>Direction Complements with Objects
</h2>
<p>Direction complements are not only used to describe the movement of people. Moving objects can also be described with direction complements. Again, the direction of the movement relative to the speaker (or at least to the context of the conversation) is important when deciding what complement to use.</p>

<p>These verbs that commonly appear in this construction include 拿, 送, and 带.</p>

<h3>Some examples:
</h3>
<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">服务员 ，请 再 拿 几 个 碗 来 。
Fúwùyuán, qǐng zài ná jǐ gè wǎn lái.
Waiter, please bring a few more bowls. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">快点 送 孩子 去 吧 ，别 迟到 了 。
Kuàidiǎn sòng háizi qù ba, bié chídào le.
Hurry up, send the kids off. Don't be late. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">师傅 ，送 两 桶 水 来 。
Shīfu, sòng liǎng tǒng shuǐ lái.
Shifu, please deliver two buckets of water. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">可以 带 朋友 来 吗 ？
Kěyǐ dài péngyou lái ma?
Can I bring some friends? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他们 带 了 一些 礼物 去 。
Tāmen dài le yīxiē lǐwù qù.
They took some presents there.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<h2>Direction Complements with 把</h2>

<p>Direction complements work very well in 把 sentences, as they can be used to describe the disposal of an object (what happened to it in the end). Because of this, it's very common to see direction complements and 把 appearing together.
</p>
<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">Subj. + 把 + Obj. + Verb + [Direction Complement]</div>

<h3>Examples</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">把 书 拿 出来 。
Bǎ shū ná chūlái.
Please take out your book. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">把 手 举 起来 。
Bǎ shǒu jǔ qǐlái.
Raise your hands. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">帮 我 把 这个 箱子 搬 过去 。
Bāng wǒ bǎ zhège xiāngzi bān guòqù.
Please help me move this suitcase over there.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<h3>See also:</h3>

 把 sentences

<h4>Compared with Potential Complement</h4>

<p>Adding 得 to directional complements makes the phrase an affirmative potential complement. Adding 不 makes the phrase a negative potential complement.</p>

<p>Direction and Potential Complements</p>


Directional Complement	Aff. Potential Complement	Neg. Potential Complement
回 去	回 得 去	回 不 去
过 来	过 得 来	过 不 来
站 起来	站 得 起来	站 不 起来
爬 上去	爬 得 上去	爬 不 上去
开 进去	开 得 进去	开 不 进去
拿 出来	拿得 出来	拿 不 出来
<h4>Additional Meanings</h4>

<p>A lot of direction complements, particularly compound direction complements, have additional idiomatic meanings beyond literally describing the direction of an action. The most common of these are:</p>


起来
出来
下去

<h3>See also</h3>

<div class="See-also">Result complement
Potential complement
Degree complement</div>
<h3>Sources and further reading</h3>

<h4>Books</h4>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) (pp. 302-17) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 165) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 185-9) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 267-8) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Mandarin Chinese: A Functional Reference Grammar (pp. 58-65) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2) (pp. 40-1, 197-8) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课下册） (pp. 313-4) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (pp. 238-9, 255) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">HSK Standard Course 5上 (pp. 90) →buy</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h4>Websites</h4>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Mandarin Essential Grammar (Yale): Directional Complements</span><br/></li>
</ul>
<h4>Videos</h4>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Yoyo Chinese: Introduction to complement of direction</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>
</body>
</html>