Complex directionals: V+起来/下去/出来
Complex directional complements combine two directional words after a verb, such as 起来, 下去, 出来, 进去 and 回来, to show direction. They often take extended meanings too, so 说下去 means keep talking and 想起来 means recall.
| Compound | Literal → Extended meaning |
|---|---|
| V+起来 | upward → begin an action; seem/feel like |
| V+下去 | downward → continue an action |
| V+出来 | outward → produce / reveal something hidden |
| V+进去 | inward → enter / absorb |
| V+回来 | return → bring back / recover |
Object placement: Object goes between V and 来/去 for place words: 走进教室来 (walk into the classroom). For other objects, place after the whole compound: 拿出来一本书.
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 听到这个消息，他高兴起来了。 | Tīng dào zhè gè xiāo xi, tā gāo xìng qǐ lái le. | Hearing this news, he became happy. | 起来 extended meaning: beginning of a state — he started to become happy |
| 故事讲到一半，你不能就这样停下去。 | Gù shi jiǎng dào yī bàn, nǐ bù néng jiù zhè yàng tíng xià qù. | You're halfway through the story — you can't just stop like that. | 下去 = continuation: keep going with the action (don't stop) |
| 他从口袋里掏出来一张旧照片。 | Tā cóng kǒu dài lǐ tāo chū lái yī zhāng jiù zhào piàn. | He pulled an old photo out of his pocket. | 出来 = outward (from pocket). Object 一张旧照片 follows the full compound 出来 |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
起来 (qǐ lái)
After a verb or adjective it can mean begin, or give an impression of how something seems.
Structure: V + 起来; V + 起 + object + 来; V + 起来 + adj
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 听到这个笑话，大家都笑起来了。 | Tīng dào zhè ge xiào hua, dà jiā dōu xiào qǐ lái le. | Hearing this joke, everyone started to laugh. |
| 这个汤闻起来很香。 | Zhè ge tāng wén qǐ lái hěn xiāng. | This soup smells good. |
| 孩子们突然唱起来。 | Hái zi men tū rán chàng qǐ lái. | The children suddenly started singing. |
Not: 他唱起来歌。 An object goes between 起 and 来: 唱起歌来。
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 2, complement (趋向补语); level 3, complement (趋向补语); level 5, complement (趋向补语).
起来 is also explained in: Compound Directional Complements (HSK 3) · Directional Complements: Temporal Meaning (HSK 5) · Directional Complements: Extended Stative Meanings (HSK 6).
下去 (xià qù)
After a verb it means keep doing it from now on.
Structure: V + 下去
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 这件事很重要，你要坚持做下去。 | Zhè jiàn shì hěn zhòng yào, nǐ yào jiān chí zuò xià qù. | This matters, so keep doing it. |
| 请你说下去，我在听。 | Qǐng nǐ shuō xià qù, wǒ zài tīng. | Please go on, I am listening. |
| 天气这么热，我不想再走下去了。 | Tiān qì zhè me rè, wǒ bù xiǎng zài zǒu xià qù le. | It is so hot that I do not want to keep walking. |
Not: 请继续说下来。 To continue an action use 下去; 下来 does not mean continue.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 2, complement (趋向补语); level 5, complement (趋向补语).
下去 is also explained in: Directional Complements: Temporal Meaning (HSK 5) · Directional Complements: Extended Stative Meanings (HSK 6).
出来 (chū lái)
After a verb it can mean out toward the speaker, or finding or producing something.
Structure: V + 出来; V + 出 + object + 来
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你在开玩笑，我听出来了。 | Nǐ zài kāi wán xiào, wǒ tīng chū lái le. | You are joking, I can tell. |
| 他从冰箱里拿出来一瓶水。 | Tā cóng bīng xiāng lǐ ná chū lái yì píng shuǐ. | He took a bottle of water out of the fridge. |
| 这道题我做出来了。 | Zhè dào tí wǒ zuò chū lái le. | I worked out this problem. |
Not: 我做出来不了这道题。 The negative potential is 做不出来, with 不 inside.
出来 is also explained in: Compound Directional Complements (HSK 3).
Compared side by side: 下去 vs 下来.
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
What this opens up
These patterns list Complex directionals among their own prerequisites, so they become readable once this one holds.
Questions about Complex directionals
What does 复杂趋向补语 (Complex directionals) mean in Chinese?
Complex directional complements combine two directional words after a verb, such as 起来, 下去, 出来, 进去 and 回来, to show direction. They often take extended meanings too, so 说下去 means keep talking and 想起来 means recall. It is an HSK 4 grammar point.
How do you use 复杂趋向补语 (Complex directionals) in a sentence?
听到这个消息，他高兴起来了。 — Tīng dào zhè gè xiāo xi, tā gāo xìng qǐ lái le. — Hearing this news, he became happy. 起来 extended meaning: beginning of a state — he started to become happy.
What do you need to know before 复杂趋向补语 (Complex directionals)?
Simple directional complements (HSK 4), Compound Directional Complements (HSK 3). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
What does 复杂趋向补语 (Complex directionals) lead to?
Complement types (HSK 4), Directional Complements (HSK 5), Directional Complements (HSK 6). Each of them names 复杂趋向补语 (Complex directionals) among its own prerequisites.
What is the difference between 下去 and 下来?
下去 can mean keep going, as in 说下去. 下来 means something settles or comes to rest, as in 安静下来 or 坐下来。
Where does the object go?
If the object is a place, between the two parts: 走进教室来. For other objects both orders work: 拿出来一本书 or 拿出一本书来。
Complex directionals is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
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