<blockquote>
<p>In textbooks we read that 来 can be added to verbs as a directional complement.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This is true if you understand that the word &quot;directional&quot; includes uses extended by metaphor.  It would also be more accurate to say that 来 does not just add a directional component, but rather clarifies the directional orientation of a situation already implied by the expression.  Sometimes the syntax requires that you add 来 or 去, but sometimes it is optional.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>But I've seen many examples in which 来 is used as a complement with verbs which are not motion-verbs.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The verbs 来 is used with are not limited to motion verbs; however, there is always at least an underlying physical or metaphorical direction in the underlying semantics of the verb phrase.  The use of 来 tells you from what vantage point to view the physical or metaphorical direction.</p>
<p>Here is my understanding as a somewhat advance learner.</p>
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li>他一打来电话，我就给他寄旅游介绍。</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>Phone calls can be incoming or outgoing.  By adding 来, you make clear that it was an incoming call.  This cannot be translated literally into idiomatic English, but depending on the situation 打电话来 could be the equivalent of &quot;call me/us/in/our house/the business,&quot; &quot;give me/us a call,&quot; or just simply &quot;call.&quot;  In the actual sentence, adding 来 strongly implies that a call to the speaker led to the introduction.  Without it, it could be that some random call to another person merely happened right before the introduction with no causal connection between them.</p>
<blockquote>
<ol start="2">
<li>那封信是姑娘写来的。</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>Writing as an overall activity is not directional, but letter writing contemplates sending a letter from one place/person to another.  With 来, this phrase means &quot;the letter she wrote and which came in (to me/us).  Without 来, this sentence simply identifies who produced the letter and omits any implication of where the letter is.  Again, there is no idiomatic way to capture this exactly, but you could often optionally translate 写来 as &quot;wrote to me/us&quot; to capture an equivalent meaning.  Just realize that the Chinese implies actual receipt of the letter rather than only who it was addressed to.</p>
<blockquote>
<ol start="3">
<li>那个人拿出刀来。</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>With situations that describe only specific physical movement with no other connotation, the presence of 来 starts to feel obligatory.  Here it helps the listener to visualize the knife coming into view.</p>
<p>If you were talking about a rule about taking books out of a library, the orientation of your viewpoint becomes irrelevant, or even distracting, so that you might not use 来.  Using 来 would make it seem that you are describing the books emerging from the library.  Similarly 拿出身份证 means &quot;produce/show ID&quot; which is a little different from 拿出身份证来, which is more like &quot;take out an ID (from your pocket/purse).&quot;</p>
<blockquote>
<ol start="4">
<li>这篇文章是从“鲁迅小说选”里选来的。</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>
<p>Selection involves a direction of physical or metaphorical movement.  Using 来 makes you visualize the choice emerging from the other possibilities.  I am not sure whether 从 is strictly necessary in this sentence, but it indicates the origin without making you visualize the movement.  I think using 来 can also emphasize the result of the selection, which is the acquisition and possession of something.  This nuance is somewhat similar to the way 买来 differs from 买 alone.  By itself 买 is just an action, but 买来 takes you to the result of the action whereby the object of the purchase has come to the viewpoint expressed in the sentence.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-20T20:08:59.973Z
2024-09-20T20:08:59.973Z
Vegawatcher
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;which are not motion-verbs.&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>来 in 他一打电话来 indicates the verb &quot;打&quot; (dial) is &quot;incoming&quot; from the speaker's perspective</li>
</ul>
<p>Replace '来' with '去' in the example above,  去 in '他一打电话去' indicates the verb 打 (dial) is &quot;out-going&quot; from the subject's (他's) perspective</p>
<ul>
<li>[出来] in 那个人拿[出]刀[来] indicates the verb 拿 (pull) is &quot;outward&quot; (出) from the subject's (那个人's) perspective and &quot;incoming&quot; (来) from the speaker's perspective</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-19T16:52:37.353Z
2024-09-19T16:52:37.353Z
Tang Ho
<p>Directional complement is linguist-speak. 来 is used as a preposition mostly with a meaning akin to <em>from</em>. The use of 来 like this has no relation to motion or rest.</p>
<p>English has dispensed with many such words, but German retains them. Prepositions can have several different meanings and may be substituted by other prepositions.</p>
<p>打：谓从事某种工作或做出某种行动</p>
<p>他一打来电话，我就给他寄旅游介绍。<br />
As soon as he called, I sent him an introduction to the tour.  (No preposition for 来 in English)<br />
Gleich nachdem er <strong>an</strong>rief, schickte ich ihm eine Einführung für die Reise. (an = to)</p>
<p>那封信是姑娘写来的。<br />
That letter was written <strong>by</strong> a woman. (来 = by)<br />
Der Brief wurde <strong>von</strong> einer Frau geschrieben. (来 = von = from)</p>
<p>那个人拿出刀来。<br />
That person pulled <strong>out</strong> a knife. (拿<strong>出</strong>刀<strong>来</strong> = take out knife from, a typical Chinese wrapped phrase.)<br />
Jener Mensch zog ein Messer hervor. (来 = hervor = from-(to the) fore)</p>
<p>这篇文章是从“鲁迅小说选”里选来的。(来 = from)<br />
This article is chosen from “(The) Selected novels of 鲁迅”. (No preposition for 来 in English)<br />
Dieses Schriftstück wurde vom “Auswahl der Romanen des  鲁迅”<strong>aus</strong>gesucht. ( 来 = aus = out from)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-20T05:19:03.250Z
2024-09-20T05:19:03.250Z
Pedroski
<p>&quot;<strong>V + 来</strong>&quot; indicates the <strong>directional inclination/trend (趨向)</strong> of the act/motion.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>他一<strong>打来</strong>电话 - at the instance I received the <strong>call from</strong> him (to me).</p>
</li>
<li><p>那封信是姑娘<strong>写来</strong>的 - This is a letter <strong>written from</strong> her (to me).</p>
</li>
<li><p>那个人拿出刀来 = 那个人把刀從XX<strong>拿出来</strong> - That guy <strong>takes out the knife (from</strong> his pocket/backpack...)</p>
</li>
<li><p>这篇文章是从“鲁迅小说选”里<strong>选出来</strong>的 - This article was <strong>picking out from</strong> &quot;“鲁迅小说选”.</p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-19T18:34:46.363Z
2024-09-20T21:40:25.410Z
2024-09-20T21:40:25.410Z
r13
<p>In textbooks we read that 来 can be added to verbs as a directional complement.
For example 出 means &quot;to move out&quot;. It's not clear to what direction.
But if you say 出来 it means &quot;to come out&quot; (to the speaker) which is different from 出去 which means &quot;to go out&quot; (away from the speaker).</p>
<p>But I've seen many examples in which 来 is used as a complement with verbs which are not motion-verbs.</p>
<p>Here are my examples:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>他一打来电话，我就给他寄旅游介绍。
We know that the verb is 打 in 打电话: to make a phone call。
What's the purpose of adding 来 to a verb like 打?</p>
</li>
<li><p>那封信是姑娘写来的。
Here the complement 来 is added to the verb 写 which is not a motion-verb. (If instead of 写, 寄 was used it made sense, but using it with 写 I'm not sure if it is correct)</p>
</li>
<li><p>那个人拿出刀来。
I'm already well-acquainted with the verb 拿出 which means &quot;to pull out&quot; i.e a gun, a knife, etc
But using 来 after such a verb seems sort of strange.</p>
</li>
<li><p>这篇文章是从“鲁迅小说选”里选来的。
Here the complement 来 is added to the verb 选 which is not a motion-verb.</p>
</li>
</ol>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-09-24T07:39:52.427Z
打來電話: call IN ; 打去電話: cann OUT ;
James
<grammar><complement>
Using 来 as a complement with non-motional verbs
# Using 来 as a complement with non-motional verbs

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-09-19)

In textbooks we read that 来 can be added to verbs as a directional complement.
For example 出 means "to move out". It's not clear to what direction.
But if you say 出来 it means "to come out" (to the speaker) which is different from 出去 which means "to go out" (away from the speaker).

But I've seen many examples in which 来 is used as a complement with verbs which are not motion-verbs.

Here are my examples:

1. 他一打来电话，我就给他寄旅游介绍。
   We know that the verb is 打 in 打电话: to make a phone call。
   What's the purpose of adding 来 to a verb like 打?
2. 那封信是姑娘写来的。
   Here the complement 来 is added to the verb 写 which is not a motion-verb. (If instead of 写, 寄 was used it made sense, but using it with 写 I'm not sure if it is correct)
3. 那个人拿出刀来。
   I'm already well-acquainted with the verb 拿出 which means "to pull out" i.e a gun, a knife, etc
   But using 来 after such a verb seems sort of strange.
4. 这篇文章是从“鲁迅小说选”里选来的。
   Here the complement 来 is added to the verb 选 which is not a motion-verb.

**Tags:** grammar, complement

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 打來電話: call IN ; 打去電話: cann OUT ;  

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-09-20. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

> In textbooks we read that 来 can be added to verbs as a directional complement.

This is true if you understand that the word "directional" includes uses extended by metaphor. It would also be more accurate to say that 来 does not just add a directional component, but rather clarifies the directional orientation of a situation already implied by the expression. Sometimes the syntax requires that you add 来 or 去, but sometimes it is optional.

> But I've seen many examples in which 来 is used as a complement with verbs which are not motion-verbs.

The verbs 来 is used with are not limited to motion verbs; however, there is always at least an underlying physical or metaphorical direction in the underlying semantics of the verb phrase. The use of 来 tells you from what vantage point to view the physical or metaphorical direction.

Here is my understanding as a somewhat advance learner.

> 1. 他一打来电话，我就给他寄旅游介绍。

Phone calls can be incoming or outgoing. By adding 来, you make clear that it was an incoming call. This cannot be translated literally into idiomatic English, but depending on the situation 打电话来 could be the equivalent of "call me/us/in/our house/the business," "give me/us a call," or just simply "call." In the actual sentence, adding 来 strongly implies that a call to the speaker led to the introduction. Without it, it could be that some random call to another person merely happened right before the introduction with no causal connection between them.

> 2. 那封信是姑娘写来的。

Writing as an overall activity is not directional, but letter writing contemplates sending a letter from one place/person to another. With 来, this phrase means "the letter she wrote and which came in (to me/us). Without 来, this sentence simply identifies who produced the letter and omits any implication of where the letter is. Again, there is no idiomatic way to capture this exactly, but you could often optionally translate 写来 as "wrote to me/us" to capture an equivalent meaning. Just realize that the Chinese implies actual receipt of the letter rather than only who it was addressed to.

> 3. 那个人拿出刀来。

With situations that describe only specific physical movement with no other connotation, the presence of 来 starts to feel obligatory. Here it helps the listener to visualize the knife coming into view.

If you were talking about a rule about taking books out of a library, the orientation of your viewpoint becomes irrelevant, or even distracting, so that you might not use 来. Using 来 would make it seem that you are describing the books emerging from the library. Similarly 拿出身份证 means "produce/show ID" which is a little different from 拿出身份证来, which is more like "take out an ID (from your pocket/purse)."

> 4. 这篇文章是从“鲁迅小说选”里选来的。

Selection involves a direction of physical or metaphorical movement. Using 来 makes you visualize the choice emerging from the other possibilities. I am not sure whether 从 is strictly necessary in this sentence, but it indicates the origin without making you visualize the movement. I think using 来 can also emphasize the result of the selection, which is the acquisition and possession of something. This nuance is somewhat similar to the way 买来 differs from 买 alone. By itself 买 is just an action, but 买来 takes you to the result of the action whereby the object of the purchase has come to the viewpoint expressed in the sentence.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2024-09-19. Score: 2

> "which are not motion-verbs."

* 来 in 他一打电话来 indicates the verb "打" (dial) is "incoming" from the speaker's perspective

Replace '来' with '去' in the example above, 去 in '他一打电话去' indicates the verb 打 (dial) is "out-going" from the subject's (他's) perspective

* [出来] in 那个人拿[出]刀[来] indicates the verb 拿 (pull) is "outward" (出) from the subject's (那个人's) perspective and "incoming" (来) from the speaker's perspective


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### Answer by username_4 on 2024-09-20. Score: 1

Directional complement is linguist-speak. 来 is used as a preposition mostly with a meaning akin to *from*. The use of 来 like this has no relation to motion or rest.

English has dispensed with many such words, but German retains them. Prepositions can have several different meanings and may be substituted by other prepositions.

打：谓从事某种工作或做出某种行动

他一打来电话，我就给他寄旅游介绍。  
As soon as he called, I sent him an introduction to the tour. (No preposition for 来 in English)  
Gleich nachdem er **an**rief, schickte ich ihm eine Einführung für die Reise. (an = to)

那封信是姑娘写来的。  
That letter was written **by** a woman. (来 = by)  
Der Brief wurde **von** einer Frau geschrieben. (来 = von = from)

那个人拿出刀来。  
That person pulled **out** a knife. (拿**出**刀**来** = take out knife from, a typical Chinese wrapped phrase.)  
Jener Mensch zog ein Messer hervor. (来 = hervor = from-(to the) fore)

这篇文章是从“鲁迅小说选”里选来的。(来 = from)  
This article is chosen from “(The) Selected novels of 鲁迅”. (No preposition for 来 in English)  
Dieses Schriftstück wurde vom “Auswahl der Romanen des 鲁迅”**aus**gesucht. ( 来 = aus = out from)


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### Answer by username_5 on 2024-09-19. Score: 1

"**V + 来**" indicates the **directional inclination/trend (趨向)** of the act/motion.

* 他一**打来**电话 - at the instance I received the **call from** him (to me).
* 那封信是姑娘**写来**的 - This is a letter **written from** her (to me).
* 那个人拿出刀来 = 那个人把刀從XX**拿出来** - That guy **takes out the knife (from** his pocket/backpack...)
* 这篇文章是从“鲁迅小说选”里**选出来**的 - This article was **picking out from** "“鲁迅小说选”.


---

