<p>Simple rule: If you've got another verb after 他， translate 来 as to.</p>

<p>Of course, things are a bit more complex! </p>

<ol>
<li>把杯子拿到这里来。(来 corresponds with hither)</li>
<li><p>把杯子拿到那里去。(来 corresponds with hence)</p></li>
<li><p>他用水来浇花。(来 corresponds with to)</p></li>
<li><p>他用铅笔来画画 (来 corresponds with to)</p></li>
<li><p>他明天来看你。(来 corresponds with ? He tomorrow to see you ?) </p></li>
<li>他马上来和我们一起吃饭。(来 corresponds with ? come? to?) </li>
</ol>

<p>Nothing ever 'to' but it also 'come', just depends where you're standing!</p>

<p>You can't really use English to make sense of Chinese! Chinese makes sense!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-11T10:29:01.723Z
2020-02-11T10:29:01.723Z
Pedroski
<p>I don't think you can use it whenever/wherever you want</p>
<p>try not to over use it</p>
<p>I think the more you see the better you can use it</p>
<p>Its mostly used with
用and通过</p>
<p>Its the reference</p>
<p><a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Using_%22lai%22_to_connect_two_verb_phrases" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Using_%22lai%22_to_connect_two_verb_phrases</a></p>
<p>And in some cases l already saw with verbs like 想 and 花</p>
<p>Pleco
想办法来解决问题。</p>
<p>Hsk4 book 11-3 dialogue
每天花半个小时来读书。</p>
<p>Hsk4 book 15-4 text
有的孩子......,会通过哭，...来引起父母的注意。</p>
<p>In hsk4 book 15.4 grammar point it's said that this kind of 来 usually used in spoken Chinese and the meaning of the sentence won't change if 来 is removed from it.</p>
<p>So don't worry if you don't use it.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-12T11:24:32.403Z
2024-02-12T11:27:24.527Z
2024-02-12T11:27:24.527Z
alireza ahmadi rad
<p>The word <strong>来</strong> has many meanings and usages <a href="https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E6%9D%A5" rel="nofollow noreferrer">来的意思</a> when used in various sentences. One of those usages is to use <strong>来</strong> to express &quot;to do something&quot; as the purpose of the former action. Not as strict as &quot;to&quot; in English, <strong>来</strong> is often not necessary and gets omitted. That is still correct in Chinese.</p>
<p><strong>来</strong> can be substituted by <strong>去</strong> or other word. This is a little bit difficult for an English speaker to understand since he or she always uses &quot;to&quot; in a similar situation.</p>
<p>For example:</p>
<ol>
<li><p>你回家就是<strong>来</strong>和妈妈要钱吗? Did you come home just to ask for money from your mom?</p>
</li>
<li><p>我爸爸开车<strong>去</strong>接我妈妈了. My dad drove the car out to pick up my mom.</p>
</li>
<li><p>我们制定了一个进行施工<strong>的</strong>计划. We developed a plan to carry out the construction.</p>
</li>
<li><p>我们公司买了一台精密机床<strong>来</strong>加工这个零件. Our company bought a precision machine to process this part.</p>
</li>
<li><p>我们公司买了一台加工这个零件<strong>的</strong>精密机床. Our company bought a precision machine to process this part.</p>
</li>
</ol>
<p>In examples 3 and 5, we use the adjective phrases with <strong>的</strong> to express the &quot;to&quot; infinitive phrases.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-02-12T22:38:27.150Z
2024-02-12T22:38:27.150Z
PdotWang
<p>In Mandarin, if we have two VO in order the second one indicates the purpose of the first action, something like "in order to" or just "to" in English, as in:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>我回家学习中文 - I'll go back home <strong>(in order) TO</strong> study Chinese.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>But I've seen many times a 来 appearing to convey that role, as in:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>有些作业老师让学生拿回家<strong>来</strong>做 - There are some homeworks the teacher let the students take back home <strong>TO</strong> do.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>So, my question is:
Can I always use 来 when I want to convey that meaning or does it have some specific cases?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-11T02:19:25.960Z
Actually the second example may be better without "来"
fefe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-12T00:37:53.247Z
In the second example, 去 is sometimes better than 来
sypicky
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-12T14:36:56.877Z
It's an example from a Chinese learning material, so I assume it's quite right. The question is not about if it's better with or without 来 or with anything else, it's when I should use it or not.
Enrico Brasil
<grammar>
When is it necessary to use 来 to convey the meaning "in order to"
# When is it necessary to use 来 to convey the meaning "in order to"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-02-11)

In Mandarin, if we have two VO in order the second one indicates the purpose of the first action, something like "in order to" or just "to" in English, as in:

> 我回家学习中文 - I'll go back home **(in order) TO** study Chinese.

But I've seen many times a 来 appearing to convey that role, as in:

> 有些作业老师让学生拿回家**来**做 - There are some homeworks the teacher let the students take back home **TO** do.

So, my question is:
Can I always use 来 when I want to convey that meaning or does it have some specific cases?

Thanks

**Tags:** grammar

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Actually the second example may be better without "来"  
> **username_2**: In the second example, 去 is sometimes better than 来  
> **username_0**: It's an example from a Chinese learning material, so I assume it's quite right. The question is not about if it's better with or without 来 or with anything else, it's when I should use it or not.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-02-11. Score: 2

Simple rule: If you've got another verb after 他， translate 来 as to.

Of course, things are a bit more complex!

1. 把杯子拿到这里来。(来 corresponds with hither)
2. 把杯子拿到那里去。(来 corresponds with hence)
3. 他用水来浇花。(来 corresponds with to)
4. 他用铅笔来画画 (来 corresponds with to)
5. 他明天来看你。(来 corresponds with ? He tomorrow to see you ?)
6. 他马上来和我们一起吃饭。(来 corresponds with ? come? to?)

Nothing ever 'to' but it also 'come', just depends where you're standing!

You can't really use English to make sense of Chinese! Chinese makes sense!


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2024-02-12. Score: 1

I don't think you can use it whenever/wherever you want

try not to over use it

I think the more you see the better you can use it

Its mostly used with
用and通过

Its the reference

<https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Using_%22lai%22_to_connect_two_verb_phrases>

And in some cases l already saw with verbs like 想 and 花

Pleco
想办法来解决问题。

Hsk4 book 11-3 dialogue
每天花半个小时来读书。

Hsk4 book 15-4 text
有的孩子......,会通过哭，...来引起父母的注意。

In hsk4 book 15.4 grammar point it's said that this kind of 来 usually used in spoken Chinese and the meaning of the sentence won't change if 来 is removed from it.

So don't worry if you don't use it.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2024-02-12. Score: 0

The word **来** has many meanings and usages [来的意思](https://www.zdic.net/hans/%E6%9D%A5) when used in various sentences. One of those usages is to use **来** to express "to do something" as the purpose of the former action. Not as strict as "to" in English, **来** is often not necessary and gets omitted. That is still correct in Chinese.

**来** can be substituted by **去** or other word. This is a little bit difficult for an English speaker to understand since he or she always uses "to" in a similar situation.

For example:

1. 你回家就是**来**和妈妈要钱吗? Did you come home just to ask for money from your mom?
2. 我爸爸开车**去**接我妈妈了. My dad drove the car out to pick up my mom.
3. 我们制定了一个进行施工**的**计划. We developed a plan to carry out the construction.
4. 我们公司买了一台精密机床**来**加工这个零件. Our company bought a precision machine to process this part.
5. 我们公司买了一台加工这个零件**的**精密机床. Our company bought a precision machine to process this part.

In examples 3 and 5, we use the adjective phrases with **的** to express the "to" infinitive phrases.


---

