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,
走進走进
Walk in
走出走出
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, 来 lái should be used. Conversely, if the verb’s action is moving away from the speaker, 去 qù should be used.

我帶去給你我带去给你
I will bring it to you.
(The speaker is going to leave his current position now.)
你來台灣你来台湾
Come to Taiwan.
(The speaker is in Taiwan now).
進/进 jìn、出 chū
The characters 进 jìn and 出 chū usually require an object (place) to be used with them.
When the action involves moving inward, 进 jìn should be used. On the other hand, when the action involves moving outward, 出 chū should be used.

他跑進電影院他跑进电影院
He ran into a movie theater.
我走出教室我走出教室
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.

媽媽走上二樓妈妈走上二楼
Mom walked to the second floor.
(The destination is the 2nd floor)
爸爸爬下樹爸爸爬下树
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 来 lái.
起来 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.

站起來站起来
Stand up.
拿起來拿起来
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.
回 huí
回 huí is used for movements that involve going back or returning.

他跑回家他跑回家
He ran back home.
我走回公司我走回公司
I walked back to the office.
開/开 kāi
This word means to move something to another place, and it does not always require an object.

他拿開書他拿开书
He took the book away.
孩子從媽媽身邊跑開孩子从妈妈身边跑开
The child runs away from the mother.
過/过 guò
This word basically means ‘pass’, ‘cross’, or ‘through’.

我走過書店我走过书店
I walked and passed by a bookstore.
我跑過馬路我跑过马路
I ran across the road.
Direction Complement