起来 (direction complement)

• 拼音: qǐlái
• 结构: Verb + 起来 :: Subject + 把 + Object + Verb + 起来
• 汉字拆解: 起 = 走 (walk) + 己 (self); 来 = originally depicted a wheat plant, meaning 'to come'

含义

The direction complement 起来 (qǐlái), when attached after a verb, extends beyond its literal meaning of 'to rise up' to express abstract meanings such as 'starting an action,' 'gathering together,' or 'how something seems upon reflection.'

起来 as a direction complement has three major extended uses beyond the literal 'get up.' First, it can indicate the beginning or initiation of an action, as in 笑起来 (start laughing) or 唱起来 (start singing). Second, it expresses gathering, collecting, or securing something, as in 把东西收起来 (put things away) or 存起来 (save up). Third, it conveys an impression or estimation, often translated as 'it seems' or 'when you think about it,' as in 听起来不错 (sounds good) or 看起来很难 (looks difficult). When used with 把, the object goes between 把 and the verb, with 起来 following the verb. Learners often struggle with the evaluation sense, which is unique to Chinese and has no direct structural equivalent in English.

例句

1. 听到那个笑话，大家都笑了起来。
2. 天冷了，把厚衣服找起来吧。
3. 这道菜闻起来真香。

用法指南

语境: spoken, written, everyday

语气: descriptive

正确说法

• 音乐一响，他就跳起舞来了。
• 这个想法说起来容易，做起来难。
• 快把这些文件锁起来，别让人看见。
• 他突然安静了下来，然后认真地思考起来。

错误说法

• 他起来唱歌了。(When 起来 functions as a direction complement meaning 'start doing,' it must follow the verb, not precede it) → 他唱起歌来了。
• 这个菜吃很好起来。(起来 must directly follow the verb — no other elements can be inserted between the verb and 起来 in the evaluation pattern) → 这个菜吃起来很好。
• 把书起来收。(起来 follows the verb, not the object — correct order is 把 + object + verb + 起来) → 把书收起来。

起源与历史

起来 is composed of 起 (to rise) and 来 (to come), originally describing upward physical movement toward the speaker. Its abstract extensions — beginning of action, gathering, and evaluation — developed through metaphorical usage in vernacular Chinese over centuries.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal