Dictionary › 回来

回来

huí lai

HSK 3.0 level 2 2-character word Traditional 回來

回来 (huí lái) means "to come back (toward the speaker)". It is an HSK 3.0 level 2 word, and was not on the old six-level HSK list.

What 回来 means

1. to return; to come back

How 回来 is used in grammar

回来 is a grammar word. Each link goes to its own section: what it does in that pattern, the structure, three example sentences with pinyin, and the mistake to avoid.

• Compound Directional Complements (HSK 3)

The official HSK 3.0 grammar outline lists it at level 2, complement (趋向补语).

The characters in 回来

• 回huíto go back; to return; to turn back; to turn around; to reply; to answer…
• 来láito come; (used as a substitute for a more specific verb)…

Example sentences

• 回来。
  Back in.
• 回来！
  Come back.
• 请回来。
  Turn back, please.
• 请回来！
  Come back.
• 很高兴回来
  Hěn gāoxìng huílai
  It's nice to be back.
• 我回来了。
  I'm back.

Words containing 回来

• 话说回来huà shuō huí lai(but) then again; (but) on the other hand
• 来回来去lái huí lái qùrepeatedly; back and forth again and again
• 话又说回来huà yòu shuō huí lai(but) then again; (but) on the other hand
• 赚回来zhuàn huí laito earn back (money one invested, wasted etc)

Go deeper

• The four tones and the neutral tone, to read huí lai correctly.
• Look up another word in the free dictionary.