Direction Complement in Chinese

Table of Contents

Grammar Point:
A direction complement is a complement used to describe the direction of a verb in Chinese. For example, the verb “走 zǒu” means “to walk”. However, to specify which direction you are walking in, you can add a direction complement to describe where you are walking to. For example,

走zǒu進jìn走zǒu进jìn
Walk in

走zǒu出chū走zǒu出chū
Walk out

Now, let’s take a look at the various directional complements commonly used in Mandarin Chinese:

Structure –
V + Direction Complement

來/来 lái、去 qù

It indicates the position of the speaker.

If the verb’s action is moving closer to the speaker, 來来 lái should be used. Conversely, if the verb’s action is moving away from the speaker, 去 qù should be used.

我wǒ帶dài去qù給gěi你nǐ我wǒ带dài去qù给gěi你nǐ
I will bring it to you.
(The speaker is going to leave his current position now.)

你nǐ來lái台灣Táiwān你nǐ来lái台湾Táiwān
Come to Taiwan.
(The speaker is in Taiwan now).

進/进 jìn、出 chū

The characters 進进 jìn and 出 chū usually require an object (place) to be used with them.

When the action involves moving inward, 進进 jìn should be used. On the other hand, when the action involves moving outward, 出 chū should be used.

他tā跑pǎo進jìn電影院diànyǐngyuàn他tā跑pǎo进jìn电影院diànyǐngyuàn
He ran into a movie theater.

我wǒ走zǒu出chū教室jiàoshì我wǒ走zǒu出chū教室jiàoshì
I walked out of class.

上 shàng、下 xià

The characters 上 shàng and 下 xià usually require a destination to be used with them.

When the action involves moving upward, 上 shàng should be used. On the other hand, when the action involves moving downward, 下 xià should be used.

媽媽māma走zǒu上shàng二樓èrlóu妈妈māma走zǒu上shàng二楼èrlóu
Mom walked to the second floor.
(The destination is the 2nd floor)

爸爸bàba爬pá下xià樹shù爸爸bàba爬pá下xià树shù
Dad climbed down from a tree.
(The destination is under the tree)

起 qǐ

This is a particularly unique word in Chinese, as it generally means ‘to rise’, and in directional complements it is always combined with 來来 lái.

起來来 qǐlái actually has many different meanings and functions, but we will only discuss directional complements here. It is similar to the word ‘up’ in English.

站zhàn起來qǐlái站zhàn起来qǐlái
Stand up.

拿ná起來qǐlái拿ná起来qǐlái
Pick up; take up

Both 上 shàng and 起 qǐ indicate an upward direction. However, the main difference between the two is that 上 shàng requires a destination, while 起 qǐ does not.