Verb + 上来
HSK 5- Complements
Structure (结构 jiégòu)
Meaning (意思 yìsi)
Directional complement '上来' indicates an action moving upward and toward the speaker.
Explanation (解释 jiěshì)
The directional complement 上来 combines 上 (up) and 来 (toward the speaker), expressing an action directed upward and toward the speaker.
Imagine you are upstairs calling a friend on the ground floor — you would say: 你上来吧！ (Come on up!).
Beyond its literal meaning, 上来 also has a figurative sense, indicating the attainment of a certain state, or something becoming clear or surfacing. For example, 提上来 (to raise up, to promote), 说不上来 (unable to put into words).
Examples (例句 lìjù)(5)
- 你快走上来吧。繁: 你快走上來吧。Nǐ kuài zǒu shànglái ba.
You come up here quickly.
- 请把这些东西搬上来。繁: 請把這些東西搬上來。Qǐng bǎ zhèxiē dōngxi bān shànglái.
Please move these things up here.
- 他从山下爬上来了。繁: 他從山下爬上來了。Tā cóng shānxià pá shànglái le.
He climbed up from the foot of the mountain.
- 他的名字我就是说不上来。繁: 他的名字我就是說不上來。Tā de míngzi wǒ jiùshì shuō bu shànglái.
I just can't seem to recall his name.
- 他的成绩最近提上来了。繁: 他的成績最近提上來了。Tā de chéngjì zuìjìn tí shànglái le.
His grades have improved recently.
Common mistakes
- Wrong:我在楼上，你快上去！Correct:我在楼上，你快上来！
When the speaker is above, actions directed toward oneself must use `来`. `去` indicates actions going away.
- Wrong:他跑上来楼了。Correct:他跑上楼来了。
The object indicating place (for example: 楼) must stand between `上` and `来`.