The Chinese word "上来" (shànglái)

 The Chinese word "上来" (shànglái) is a very common directional complement in Mandarin Chinese. It combines "上" (shàng), meaning "up" or "above," and "来" (lái), meaning "to come."

The key to understanding "上来" is its dual meaning of direction (upwards) and orientation relative to the speaker/observer (towards the speaker/observer).

Here's a breakdown of its uses:

1. Literal Upward Movement Towards the Speaker/Observer

This is the most direct and frequent use. It indicates that an action involves moving upwards, and the person or thing performing the action is moving towards the speaker or a reference point where the speaker is.

Structure: Verb + 上来

Examples:

• 请上来。 (Qǐng shànglái.)
  • Please come up. (Said by someone who is upstairs to someone who is downstairs.)
• 他从楼下上来了。 (Tā cóng lóuxià shànglái le.)
  • He came up from downstairs. (The speaker is likely upstairs or at the destination of the upward movement.)
• 把书拿上来。 (Bǎ shū ná shànglái.)
  • Bring the book up (here). (The speaker is in a higher position and wants the book brought to them.)
• 你快点儿跑上来！ (Nǐ kuài diǎnr pǎo shànglái!)
  • You hurry and run up (here)! (The speaker is at a higher position.)
• 服务员把菜送上来了。 (Fúwùyuán bǎ cài sòng shànglái le.)
  • The waiter brought the dishes up. (The speaker is in the higher location where the dishes arrived.)

Contrast with "上去" (shàngqù):

The difference between "上来" and "上去" (shàngqù, up + go) depends on the speaker's location relative to the movement's destination.

• 上来 (shànglái): Movement is towards the speaker's location (or the implied reference point of the speaker).
• 上去 (shàngqù): Movement is away from the speaker's location (or the implied reference point of the speaker).

Example Scenario:

Imagine you are on the second floor and your friend is on the first floor.

• You (on 2nd floor) say to your friend: 你上来吧。 (Nǐ shànglái ba.) - "You come up (to me)."
• Your friend (on 1st floor) says to you: 我上去了。 (Wǒ shàngqù le.) - "I'm going up (to you)." (Even though they are coming to you, from their perspective, they are going up and away from their current position.)

2. Indicating Success or Accomplishment (Figurative)

In some contexts, "上来" can function as a resultative complement, indicating that an action has been successfully carried out or achieved, often with an implication of difficulty overcome or a higher level attained. This usage is less about physical direction and more about the outcome.

Structure: Verb + 上来

Examples:

• 他考上大学了。 (Tā kǎo shàng dàxué le.)
  • He successfully passed the university entrance exam and got in. (Here, "上" implies successfully "getting onto" or "entering" the university. "来" might be omitted if the focus is purely on the success, but "上来" can still imply a difficult "climb" to get there.)
• 这幅画很难画，我画不上来。 (Zhè fú huà hěn nán huà, wǒ huà bu shànglái.)
  • This painting is very difficult to draw, I can't manage to draw it (to a good standard). (Here, "画不上来" means "unable to draw it to a satisfactory level" or "unable to bring it out/express it fully on paper.")
• 这个声音我听不上来。 (Zhège shēngyīn wǒ tīng bu shànglái.)
  • I can't quite hear/make out this sound. (Implies difficulty in clearly distinguishing or catching the sound.)

3. Appearing or Emerging (Figurative)

Sometimes, "上来" can suggest that something appears or emerges, becoming visible or noticeable.

Structure: Verb + 上来

Examples:

• 他的脸红上来了。 (Tā de liǎn hóng shànglái le.)
  • His face turned red. (The redness "came up" onto his face.)
• 问题突然冒上来了。 (Wèntí tūrán mào shànglái le.)
  • Problems suddenly popped up/emerged. (Problems "came up" to the surface.)

Key takeaways for "上来":

• Primary meaning: Upward movement towards the speaker/reference point.
• Contrast with "下去" (xiàqù, go down) and "上去" (shàngqù, go up). The "来/去" part depends on the relative location of the speaker.
• Figurative uses: Can imply success, difficulty, or emergence.

Practice using "上来" in various sentences and pay attention to the context to truly master its nuances!