起来

• Pinyin: qǐ lái
• Hanzi breakdown: 起 = 走 (walk) + 己 (self); 来 = originally a pictograph of a wheat plant, now meaning 'to come'

Meaning

To get up; to rise; to stand up. Also used as a complement indicating the beginning or continuation of an action.

Has two main uses: as a standalone verb meaning 'to stand up / get up,' and as a complement after other verbs indicating the start of an action or an upward movement. For example, 笑起来 (burst out laughing), 想起来 (recall/remember), 看起来 (appear/look like).

Examples

1. 请你站起来。 Please stand up.
2. 天气暖和起来了。 The weather is getting warmer.
3. 他从椅子上站起来了。 He stood up from the chair.

Usage Guide

Context: movement, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 快起来，上学要迟到了！(Get up quickly, you'll be late for school!)
• 她看起来很高兴。(She looks very happy.)

Don't Say

• 起来去学校。(Abrupt — say 起来吧，该上学了 with a softening particle, or 快起来去上学)

Origin & History

A compound of 起 (to rise) and 来 (to come), combining upward movement with directional motion toward the speaker.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal