来 (approximation)
HSK 4- Measure words
Structure (结构 jiégòu)
Meaning (意思 yìsi)
Placed after round tens numbers (10, 20, ...) to indicate an approximate number slightly larger than that figure.
Explanation (解释 jiěshì)
Use 来 (lái) immediately after certain round numbers (such as 10, 20, 100…) to express an approximate figure, usually meaning 'a little more than'. For example, 二十来岁 means around 20 to 29 years old, but typically closer to 20. This is a very natural colloquial expression that conveys a sense that the number need not be exact. Note that the number must be a whole number.
Examples (例句 lìjù)(5)
- 他二十来岁，很高。繁: 他二十來歲，很高。Tā èrshí lái suì, hěn gāo.
He is in his twenties and very tall.
- 我们班有三十来个学生。繁: 我們班有三十來個學生。Wǒmen bān yǒu sānshí lái ge xuéshēng.
Our class has around thirty students.
- 这本书一百来页。繁: 這本書一百來頁。Zhè běn shū yìbǎi lái yè.
This book is about a hundred pages.
- 我买了十来个苹果。繁: 我買了十來個蘋果。Wǒ mǎi le shí lái ge píngguǒ.
I bought about a dozen apples.
- 他家离这儿有二十来公里。繁: 他家離這兒有二十來公里。Tā jiā lí zhèr yǒu èrshí lái gōnglǐ.
His house is about twenty kilometers away from here.
Common mistakes
- Wrong:来十个人参加了会议。Correct:十来个人参加了会议。
To indicate estimation, 来 must come immediately after the numeral, not before it.
- Wrong:我等了十五来分钟。Correct:我等了十五六分钟。
来 typically goes with round tens. With odd numbers, people often use two consecutive numbers to estimate, for example 十五六 (15, 16).