Direction Complements in Chinese: 来 / 去 and Where the Verb Is Going
A direction complement (趋向补语) tags a verb with the direction of its movement, using 来 or 去 chosen by the speaker's position: toward the speaker is 来, away is 去. 上来 (come up) vs 上去 (go up), 出来 vs 出去, 回来 vs 回去. Compounds attach to any verb (站起来, 拿出来). A place goes between the verb and 来/去 (回中国来), and direction complements pair naturally with 把 (把书拿出来).
Why this trips learners up
A direction complement (趋向补语) attaches to a verb to say which way the action goes. The simplest form is Verb + 来 / 去, and the choice between them is all about the speaker's position: if the movement is toward the speaker, use 来; if it's away, use 去. So 上来 is “come up” (up toward me) but 上去 is “go up” (up away from me); likewise 出来 / 出去 (“come out” / “go out”), 进来 / 进去, 回来 / 回去, 过来 / 过去. 我在楼上，你上来 (“I'm upstairs, come up”) versus 我马上就上去 (“I'll come up in a moment,” said from below).
These combine into compound complements that clip onto almost any verb: 请站起来 (“please stand up”), 别让它跑出去 (“don't let it run out”), 从我家走过来要半个小时 (“it's half an hour's walk over here from mine”), 你把东西拿出来 (“take the things out”). The pieces line up 上/下/进/出/回/过/起 + 来/去 (起 only takes 来: 起来).
The rule that trips learners is where the object goes. When the object is a place / destination, it sits between the verb and 来/去, not after them: “he's going back to China” is 他回中国去, not 他回来中国. You can't pile both a complement and a place-object after one verb, 回 is the verb, 来/去 is the complement, and 中国 is the object, so the object slots in the middle (or, if context is clear, people just drop 来/去 and say 回中国). A thing being moved works the same way, sitting before 来/去: 请拿几个碗来 (“bring a few bowls”), 可以带朋友过来吗？ (“can I bring friends over?”), 他们带了一些礼物回去 (“they took some gifts back”).
Two more things worth knowing. Direction complements love 把 sentences, because they describe what happens to an object, where it ends up: 把 + Object + Verb + Complement. 把书拿出来 (“take the book out”), 把手举起来 (“put your hands up”), 帮我把箱子搬过去 (“help me move the box over”). And any direction complement converts to a potential form by slotting 得 or 不 between the verb and complement: 拿得出来 / 拿不出来 (“can / can't get it out”), 回得去 / 回不去 (“can / can't get back”), 这个箱子太重，我搬不上去 (“it's too heavy, I can't carry it up”). Quick guide: pick 来 vs 去 from where you're standing, put a place-object before 来/去, and reach for 把 when you're saying where something ends up.
The structure
Colour key
Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.
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.
nǐ 你 Subject shàng 上 Verb lái 来 Complement ba 吧 Function word
Come up (movement toward the speaker → 来).
wǒ 我 Subject mǎshàng jiù 马上就 Adverb xià 下 Verb qù 去 Complement
I'll come down right away (movement away → 去).
qǐng dàjiā 请大家 Other zhàn 站 Verb qǐlái 起来 Complement
Everyone, please stand up (the compound 起来).
kuài diǎn 快点 Adverb chū 出 Verb lái 来 Complement wán 玩 Verb ba 吧 Function word
Come out and play (compound 出来 + a following verb).
tā 他 Subject míngnián 明年 Time huí 回 Verb Zhōngguó 中国 Place qù 去 Complement
He's going back to China next year (a place-object sits before 去: 回中国去).
qǐng 请 Other zài 再 Adverb ná 拿 Verb jǐ gè wǎn 几个碗 Object lái 来 Complement
Please bring a few more bowls (a thing-object before 来: 拿几个碗来).
qǐng 请 Other bǎ 把 Function word shū 书 Object ná 拿 Verb chū 出 Complement lái 来 Complement
Please take out your book (把 + object + verb + the complement 出来).
zhège xiāngzi tài zhòng le 这个箱子太重了 Other wǒ ，我 Subject bān 搬 Verb bú 不 Negation shàngqù 上去 Complement
This box is too heavy, I can't carry it up (the potential form 搬不上去).
Common mistakes
Why it happens: A place-object goes between the verb and 来/去, not after them. “He's going back to China” is 他回中国来 (or 回中国去), not 他回来中国. You can't stack a complement and a place-object after one verb, so the place slots in the middle, between 回 and 来/去.
Why it happens: 来 vs 去 follows the speaker's position. A kid leaving home moves out and away from the speaker (who's at home), so it's 我妈不让我出去, not 出来. 出来 would mean coming out toward the speaker, the wrong direction here.
Why it happens: In a 把 sentence the direction complement stays right after the verb. “Please take the book out” is 请把书拿出来, not 请把书出来拿. The frame is 把 + Object + Verb + Complement, so the verb (拿) comes first, then its complement (出来).
Compare & contrast
| 来: movement toward the speaker | 去: movement away from the speaker | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| 你上来吧nǐ shàng lái ba = “come up” (the speaker is up there, so the movement is toward them → 来) | 你上去吧nǐ shàng qù ba = “go up” (the movement is up and away from the speaker → 去) | 你上来吧 = “come up,” the speaker is up there, so the movement is toward them → 来. 你上去吧 = “go up,” the movement is up and away from the speaker → 去. Same verb 上, opposite direction word. |
| 把书拿出来bǎ shū ná chū lái = “take the book out” (out toward the speaker → 出来) | 把书拿出去bǎ shū ná chū qù = “take the book out” (out and away from the speaker → 出去) | 把书拿出来 = “take the book out,” out toward the speaker → 出来. 把书拿出去 = “take the book out,” out and away from the speaker → 出去. The 来/去 half always tracks where the speaker is. |
Try it yourself
Say “He's going back to China next year.” A place-object sits between the verb and 去: 回中国去.
Related patterns
Quick reference card
Direction Complements in Chinese: 来 / 去 and Where the Verb Is Going grammar.merrymandarin.com A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.