<p>Both 来 and 去 can function as &quot;to&quot; before a verb, the difference is:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Use 来 when the action is in front or very close to you</p>
</li>
<li><p>Use 去 when the action is at a distance away from you</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>Example:</p>
<p>(in Hong Kong's perspective) 用東江水[來]解救本港的缺水危機 = Use East River's water [to] rescue our Hong Kong's water shortage crisis</p>
<p>(in Mainland China's perspective)用東江水[去]解救香港的缺水危機 = Use East River's water [to] rescue Hong Kong's water shortage crisis</p>
<p>Another example:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>用水救火 = use water to fight fire</p>
</li>
<li><p>用水[去]救火 = use water [to] fight fire (1. the fire is at a distance from you. 2. the water is here, you are sending it out to fight a fire) e.g. 射水去救火 (shoot water to fight fire)</p>
</li>
<li><p>用水[来]救火 = use water [to] fight fire (1. the fire is in front of you. 2. the water is somewhere else, you bring it in to fight a fire) e.g. 引水来救火 (bring water in to fire fire)</p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-15T09:40:23.050Z
Okay, it sounds good,but how can i understand the distance in this sentences: 自己不花时间去想 ， 用眼睛去发现，用心去总结 ？
Tatiana
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-15T10:17:54.627Z
自己不花时间去想 --> Not spend time to think of something that's in a distance; 用眼睛去发现 --> to discover something that's in a distance; 用心去总结-->Summarize something that's in a distance
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-15T10:19:26.013Z
自己不花时间来想 --> Not spend time to think of something yourself; 用眼睛来发现 --> to discover something with your eyes; 用心来总结-->Summarize something with your heart
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-15T10:22:42.683Z
去 emphasize the object; 来 emphasize the subject (yourself)
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-15T16:46:55.120Z
Thank you very much, but can i ask one more question? What is the distance and what do we want to emphasize? 盐不是用来做饭的吗
Tatiana
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-15T23:21:44.960Z
"盐不是用来做饭的吗?"  is different from 用盐来做饭,  "用来" (use to) is a bonded phrase, there's no  "用去". As for [用(n)来(v)] and  [用(n)去(v)], I have already explained in detail with many examples
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-14T18:38:48.563Z
2023-07-14T18:45:15.207Z
2023-07-14T18:45:15.207Z
Tang Ho
<p>Both suggest the goal you are using something for, and come with words that mean “use”.</p>
<p>Personally, I feel that 去 delivers a stronger sense of movement. It sounds like you have to pay something (in a broader sense, including action) to reach your goal.</p>
<p>In contrast, 来 doesn't imply such a sense. Also, 用来 exists but 用去 does not exist.（用……去 is okay)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-14T14:48:51.597Z
2023-07-14T14:48:51.597Z
Xin Shiyu
<p>眼不是用来做饭的吗？<br />
Isn't the eye used in cooking? (Yuck! Boiled eyeballs!)</p>
<p>Because the English translation may show to or from for 去 or 来, that does not mean the Chinese actually means that.</p>
<p>我来开车好吗？(In English translation this 来 becomes will)<br />
I'll drive OK?<br />
我开车好吗？（no 来 but still use will in translation.)<br />
I'll drive OK?</p>
<p>她跑着来迎接我们。(In English translation this 来 becomes to)<br />
She ran to greet us.<br />
她跑着迎接我们。<br />
She greeted us running. ??<br />
She ran to greet us.</p>
<p>这事由你来决定吧。(In English translation this 来 becomes to)<br />
this matter by you to decide ok<br />
This matter you decide. (Or longer: This matter is for you to decide.)<br />
这事由你决定吧。<br />
This matter you decide.</p>
<p>你去哪？(In English translation this 去 becomes going)<br />
you go where<br />
Where are you going</p>
<p>我也去，行吗？(In English translation this 去 becomes come.)<br />
Can I come too?</p>
<p>我去给你弄杯水来。(In English translation this 去 becomes will)<br />
I go for you make cup water from<br />
I'll get you a glass of water.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-15T00:26:00.453Z
2023-07-15T00:26:00.453Z
Pedroski
<p><strong>去</strong> is the simpler of these two words, 来去, in most cases, you can think &quot;去&quot; as &quot;to&quot; when it is in front of a verb:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>去</strong>发现 - <strong>to</strong> discover</p>
</li>
<li><p><strong>去</strong>总结 - <strong>to</strong> sum up; <strong>to</strong> summarize</p>
</li>
<li><p><strong>去</strong>想 - <strong>to</strong> think (about)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>来</strong> has a wider use and is more difficult to explain, especially when used after a verb. Here are a few phrases worth memorizing.</p>
<ul>
<li><p>用来 - be used for</p>
</li>
<li><p>看来 - seems to be</p>
</li>
<li><p>說来 - having brought this up; come to speak of (it)</p>
</li>
<li><p>拿/取來 - take/bring it over</p>
</li>
<li><p>出來 - to come/get out</p>
</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-07-14T16:21:49.330Z
2023-07-14T19:39:23.000Z
2023-07-14T19:39:23.000Z
r13
<p>I noticed that 去 and 来 are used in  a sentence in a strange meaning. For example: 1) 实际上，很多问题的答案都可以从生活中找到。但这需要你有眼睛去发现，用心去总结。</p>
<p>2） 自己不花时间去想
3） 眼不是用来做饭的吗？
What's the difference between them and when should i use it?
Also i know that they have the meaning of movements and directions</p>

<meaning><difference>
What's the difference between 去 and 来？
# What's the difference between 去 and 来？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-07-14)

I noticed that 去 and 来 are used in a sentence in a strange meaning. For example: 1) 实际上，很多问题的答案都可以从生活中找到。但这需要你有眼睛去发现，用心去总结。

2） 自己不花时间去想
3） 眼不是用来做饭的吗？
What's the difference between them and when should i use it?
Also i know that they have the meaning of movements and directions

**Tags:** meaning, difference


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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2023-07-14. Score: 1

Both 来 and 去 can function as "to" before a verb, the difference is:

* Use 来 when the action is in front or very close to you
* Use 去 when the action is at a distance away from you

Example:

(in Hong Kong's perspective) 用東江水[來]解救本港的缺水危機 = Use East River's water [to] rescue our Hong Kong's water shortage crisis

(in Mainland China's perspective)用東江水[去]解救香港的缺水危機 = Use East River's water [to] rescue Hong Kong's water shortage crisis

Another example:

* 用水救火 = use water to fight fire
* 用水[去]救火 = use water [to] fight fire (1. the fire is at a distance from you. 2. the water is here, you are sending it out to fight a fire) e.g. 射水去救火 (shoot water to fight fire)
* 用水[来]救火 = use water [to] fight fire (1. the fire is in front of you. 2. the water is somewhere else, you bring it in to fight a fire) e.g. 引水来救火 (bring water in to fire fire)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Okay, it sounds good,but how can i understand the distance in this sentences: 自己不花时间去想 ， 用眼睛去发现，用心去总结 ？  
> **username_1**: 自己不花时间去想 --> Not spend time to think of something that's in a distance; 用眼睛去发现 --> to discover something that's in a distance; 用心去总结-->Summarize something that's in a distance  
> **username_1**: 自己不花时间来想 --> Not spend time to think of something yourself; 用眼睛来发现 --> to discover something with your eyes; 用心来总结-->Summarize something with your heart  
> **username_1**: 去 emphasize the object; 来 emphasize the subject (yourself)  
> **username_0**: Thank you very much, but can i ask one more question? What is the distance and what do we want to emphasize? 盐不是用来做饭的吗  
> **username_1**: "盐不是用来做饭的吗?"  is different from 用盐来做饭,  "用来" (use to) is a bonded phrase, there's no  "用去". As for [用(n)来(v)] and  [用(n)去(v)], I have already explained in detail with many examples  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2023-07-14. Score: 0

Both suggest the goal you are using something for, and come with words that mean “use”.

Personally, I feel that 去 delivers a stronger sense of movement. It sounds like you have to pay something (in a broader sense, including action) to reach your goal.

In contrast, 来 doesn't imply such a sense. Also, 用来 exists but 用去 does not exist.（用……去 is okay)


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### Answer by username_3 on 2023-07-15. Score: 0

眼不是用来做饭的吗？  
Isn't the eye used in cooking? (Yuck! Boiled eyeballs!)

Because the English translation may show to or from for 去 or 来, that does not mean the Chinese actually means that.

我来开车好吗？(In English translation this 来 becomes will)  
I'll drive OK?  
我开车好吗？（no 来 but still use will in translation.)  
I'll drive OK?

她跑着来迎接我们。(In English translation this 来 becomes to)  
She ran to greet us.  
她跑着迎接我们。  
She greeted us running. ??  
She ran to greet us.

这事由你来决定吧。(In English translation this 来 becomes to)  
this matter by you to decide ok  
This matter you decide. (Or longer: This matter is for you to decide.)  
这事由你决定吧。  
This matter you decide.

你去哪？(In English translation this 去 becomes going)  
you go where  
Where are you going

我也去，行吗？(In English translation this 去 becomes come.)  
Can I come too?

我去给你弄杯水来。(In English translation this 去 becomes will)  
I go for you make cup water from  
I'll get you a glass of water.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2023-07-14. Score: 0

**去** is the simpler of these two words, 来去, in most cases, you can think "去" as "to" when it is in front of a verb:

* **去**发现 - **to** discover
* **去**总结 - **to** sum up; **to** summarize
* **去**想 - **to** think (about)

**来** has a wider use and is more difficult to explain, especially when used after a verb. Here are a few phrases worth memorizing.

* 用来 - be used for
* 看来 - seems to be
* 說来 - having brought this up; come to speak of (it)
* 拿/取來 - take/bring it over
* 出來 - to come/get out


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