B1 Intermediate Sentence Structure

How to Say “In Order To” with 来 (lái)

来 (lái) can sit between two verb phrases to link a method to a goal, meaning “in order to / so as to”: 用这个词典来查生词 (“use this dictionary to look up new words”). It usually follows 用 (use) or 通过 (through) plus a method, then the action you are after. This 来 is a connector, not the verb “to come”.

Why this trips learners up

Besides meaning “to come,” 来 (lái) has a second, quieter job: dropped between two verb phrases, it links a method to a goal and means “in order to / so as to.” The usual shape is 用 / 通过 + Method + 来 + [the action you want]: 用这个词典来查生词 (“use this dictionary to look up new words”), 通过运动来保持健康 (“stay healthy through exercise”). You do the first thing in order to achieve the second.

The method usually rides in on 用 (yòng, “use”) for a tool or 通过 (tōngguò, “through / by”) for a means or channel: 用手机来付钱 (“use your phone to pay”), 通过邮件来联系客户 (“contact clients by email”). After 来 comes the real point, the action or result you are aiming at. Read the whole thing as “do A 来 (in order to) do B.”

This 来 carries no motion at all, so it never behaves like the verb “to come.” It takes no 了 or 过 and no destination: 他用跑步来减压 (“he runs to de-stress”), never 他用跑步来了减压. And the part after 来 has to be a verb phrase, the goal action, not a bare noun: 通过看新闻来练习听力 (“practise listening by watching the news”), not …来听力.

One more thing worth knowing: this 来 is often optional. 用手机点外卖 and 用手机来点外卖 both work; adding 来 just makes the “in order to” link explicit and gives the sentence a small beat before the goal. When you want to spell out that the first action is the means to the second, 来 is the natural little hinge.

The structure

用 / 通过 yòng / tōngguò Object 来 lái Verb

Colour key

Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.

Pattern Subject Verb Object Negation Function word

Examples in context

Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.

Tap a word to see its grammatical role.

wǒ 我 Subject yòng 用 Verb zhège cídiǎn 这个词典 Object lái 来 Pattern chá 查 Verb shēngcí 生词 Object

I use this dictionary to look up new words (用 + tool + 来 + goal).

tā 他 Subject yòng 用 Verb pǎobù 跑步 Object lái 来 Pattern jiǎnyā 减压 Verb

He uses running to relieve stress.

lǎoshī 老师 Subject yòng 用 Verb yóuxì 游戏 Object lái 来 Pattern bāngzhù 帮助 Verb xuéshēng 学生 Object jì dāncí 记单词 Verb

The teacher uses games to help students remember words.

wǒmen 我们 Subject tōngguò 通过 Verb yóujiàn 邮件 Object lái 来 Pattern liánxì 联系 Verb kèhù 客户 Object

We contact our clients by email (通过 + channel + 来 + goal).

tā 他 Subject tōngguò 通过 Verb kàn xīnwén 看新闻 Object lái 来 Pattern liànxí 练习 Verb tīnglì 听力 Object

He practises listening by watching the news.

bié 别 Negation xiǎng 想 Function word yòng 用 Verb jièkǒu 借口 Object lái 来 Pattern táobì 逃避 Verb zérèn 责任 Object

Don’t try to dodge responsibility with excuses (用 + method + 来 + goal, under a modal).

hěn duō rén 很多人 Subject tōngguò 通过 Verb yùndòng 运动 Object lái 来 Pattern bǎochí 保持 Verb jiànkāng 健康 Object

A lot of people stay healthy through exercise.

zhèngfǔ 政府 Subject xīwàng 希望 Verb tōngguò 通过 Verb jiǎnshuì 减税 Object lái 来 Pattern gǔlì 鼓励 Verb dàjiā 大家 Object xiāofèi 消费 Verb

The government hopes to encourage people to spend by cutting taxes (通过 + means + 来 + goal).

Common mistakes

Avoid: 我用这个词典查生词来。 wǒ yòng zhège cídiǎn chá shēngcí lái.

Say this: 我用这个词典来查生词。 wǒ yòng zhège cídiǎn lái chá shēngcí.

Why it happens: 来 is the hinge between the two verb phrases: it sits after the method and before the goal action. 我用这个词典来查生词, not 我用这个词典查生词来. It can’t slide to the end.

Avoid: 他用跑步来了减压。 tā yòng pǎobù lái le jiǎnyā.

Say this: 他用跑步来减压。 tā yòng pǎobù lái jiǎnyā.

Why it happens: This connector 来 has no motion in it, so it never takes 了 or 过 the way the verb “to come” does: 他用跑步来减压, not 他用跑步来了减压.

Avoid: 他通过看新闻来听力。 tā tōngguò kàn xīnwén lái tīnglì.

Say this: 他通过看新闻来练习听力。 tā tōngguò kàn xīnwén lái liànxí tīnglì.

Why it happens: 来 joins two actions, so what follows it must be a verb phrase, the goal you are after (练习听力, “practise listening”), not a bare noun (听力).

Compare & contrast

来 (links two verbs, “in order to / so as to”)	来 (the verb “to come”, followed by a place)	The difference
用手机来付钱yòng shǒujī lái fù qián	你来我家nǐ lái wǒ jiā	用手机来付钱 uses 来 as a connector: “use your phone (in order) to pay,” with the method 用手机 first. 你来我家 uses 来 as the verb “come”: “come to my place,” where 我家 is simply the destination, no second verb.
通过努力来实现梦想tōngguò nǔlì lái shíxiàn mèngxiǎng	他明天来公司tā míngtiān lái gōngsī	通过努力来实现梦想 links a method to a goal with 来: “realise your dreams through hard work.” 他明天来公司 is the plain motion verb: “he’s coming to the office tomorrow,” 来 followed by a place.

Rule of thumbA method first (用… / 通过…) with an action after it? 来 is the connector “in order to,” and it takes no 了 and no destination. A place right after 来 (来北京, 来我家, 来公司)? That’s the verb “to come.”

Try it yourself

Say “I use this dictionary to look up new words.” Use 用 … 来 … to link the method to the goal.

Related patterns

Quick reference card

How to Say “In Order To” with 来 (lái) grammar.merrymandarin.com

A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.

Structure

用 / 通过 + Object + 来 + Verb

Example

我用这个词典来查生词

I use this dictionary to look up new words (用 + tool + 来 + goal).

Watch out

✗ 我用这个词典查生词来。 → ✓ 我用这个词典来查生词。