Directional complements
Mandarin often adds 来 or 去, sometimes with another directional verb, to show movement relative to the speaker or situation.
Examples
Mandarin ChineseTranslation
他拿出来了一张照片。Tā ná chūlái le yì zhāng zhàopiàn.
He took out a photograph.
请进来吧。Qǐng jìnlai ba.
Please come in.
我把椅子搬上去了。Wǒ bǎ yǐzi bān shàngqù le.
I carried the chair upstairs.
Pattern
verb + directional complement
How it works
Mandarin often adds 来 or 去, sometimes with another directional verb, to show movement relative to the speaker or situation. This pattern typically appears as verb + directional complement and becomes easier when you meet it again in short, readable examples.
What to notice
- 来 and 去 show movement relative to the speaker or scene.
- Other directional pieces such as 上, 下, 出, and 进 can combine with them.
Why it matters
Describe how an action finishes, succeeds, or develops.
Use in context
These complements help you read narrative action much more smoothly because movement gets packed directly into the verb phrase.