The simplest directional complements are the two deictic morphemes 来 (lái) and 去 (qù) dropped straight onto a verb. They don't add a path like up or out — they do one job: orient the whole event to where the speaker stands. 拿来 is "bring (it here)," 拿去 is "take (it there)"; 上来 is "come up," 回去 is "go back." If you've read the directional overview, this is the deictic layer on its own, before any path morpheme joins it. Get it solid here and compound directionals fall into place.
来 = toward me, 去 = away from me
Pick 来 when the motion approaches the speaker, 去 when it departs from the speaker. The choice has nothing to do with north/south or up/down — only with your vantage point. Most single-syllable motion words pair with both, giving a neat "come/go" contrast for each direction:
| Verb |
|
|
|---|---|---|
| 进 jìn (enter) | 进来 (come in) | 进去 (go in) |
| 出 chū (exit) | 出来 (come out) | 出去 (go out) |
| 上 shàng (ascend) | 上来 (come up) | 上去 (go up) |
| 下 xià (descend) | 下来 (come down) | 下去 (go down) |
| 回 huí (return) | 回来 (come back) | 回去 (go back) |
| 过 guò (pass) | 过来 (come over) | 过去 (go over) |
| 拿 ná (carry) | 拿来 (bring here) | 拿去 (take away) |
That's why the same physical movement can take either one — only the speaker's position decides:
快进来吧，别站在门口。
kuài jìn lai ba, bié zhàn zài ménkǒu
Come on in — don't just stand in the doorway. (informal) — motion inside, toward the speaker: 来.
外面有人找你，你出去一下。
wàimiàn yǒu rén zhǎo nǐ, nǐ chū qu yíxià
Someone's outside asking for you — go out for a moment. — motion away from the speaker: 去.
我马上下去，你等我一下。
wǒ mǎshàng xià qu, nǐ děng wǒ yíxià
I'll be right down — wait for me a sec. — I'm above and heading away from where I am, toward you below: from my standpoint it departs, so 去.
他刚才还在这儿，现在已经回去了。
tā gāngcái hái zài zhèr, xiànzài yǐjīng huí qu le
He was here a moment ago; now he's already gone back. — leaving the speaker's location: 回去, with 了 after the whole complement.
Bringing and taking: 拿来 vs 拿去
With a handling verb like 拿 (take/hold), 带 (bring along), or 送 (deliver), the 来/去 choice is exactly the English bring vs take distinction — and Chinese draws it more strictly. 拿来 = bring it to where I am; 拿去 = take it away from me.
这本书你拿去吧，我看完了。
zhè běn shū nǐ ná qu ba, wǒ kàn wán le
Take this book — I've finished it. — it moves away from the speaker: 拿去.
帮我拿来一杯水，好吗？
bāng wǒ ná lai yì bēi shuǐ, hǎo ma?
Bring me a glass of water, would you? — it should come to the speaker: 拿来.
Where the object goes
A place object (a location) is obligatory between the verb and 来/去 — it slots inside, and 来/去 take full tone there:
你今天几点回家来？
nǐ jīntiān jǐ diǎn huí jiā lái?
What time are you coming home today? — 家 sits between 回 and 来: 回家来.
我们上楼去坐坐吧。
wǒmen shàng lóu qù zuò zuo ba
Let's go upstairs and sit for a bit. — 楼 goes between 上 and 去: 上楼去.
You cannot put the place after 来/去 — 回来家 is simply ungrammatical. A *thing object, by contrast, is flexible: it may come either between the verb and 来/去, or after them, with a mild difference in feel. A brand-new, indefinite thing tends to follow the complement; a more specific one tends to precede it:
他给我带来一个好消息。
tā gěi wǒ dài lai yí ge hǎo xiāoxi
He brought me some good news. — new, indefinite object after the complement: 带来 + 一个好消息.
别忘了带一把伞来，今天要下雨。
bié wàng le dài yì bǎ sǎn lái, jīntiān yào xià yǔ
Don't forget to bring an umbrella — it's going to rain today. — the object sits before 来: 带一把伞来.
Common Mistakes
1. Putting a place object after 来/去. The location must sit between the verb and the deictic.
❌ 你几点回来家？
Wrong — the place 家 can't follow 来; it must slot in: 回家来.
✅ 你几点回家来？
nǐ jǐ diǎn huí jiā lái?
What time are you coming home? — 回家来, place between 回 and 来.
2. Choosing 去 by default and ignoring the speaker. English "bring/take" already trip people; here it's grammaticalized.
❌（你在家，叫朋友过来）你带蛋糕去吧。
Wrong if the cake should arrive where you are — that's 带…来.
✅（你在家，叫朋友过来）你带个蛋糕来吧。
nǐ dài ge dàngāo lái ba
Bring a cake over. — motion toward the speaker: 来.
3. Splitting the complement with 了. The 了 goes after 来/去, not inside.
❌ 他已经回了去。
Wrong — 了 can't split 回去; say 回去了.
✅ 他已经回去了。
tā yǐjīng huí qu le
He's already gone back. — 了 follows the whole complement.
4. Using 二 for 'two' before a measure word. It's always 两.
❌ 请拿来二把椅子。
Wrong — before a measure word 'two' is 两, not 二.
✅ 请拿来两把椅子。
qǐng ná lai liǎng bǎ yǐzi
Please bring two chairs. — 两把, not 二把.
Key Takeaways
- 来 = motion toward the speaker; 去 = motion away — a vantage-point choice, not a compass direction.
- With handling verbs, 拿来/拿去 map onto English bring vs take, but Chinese enforces it every time.
- A place object must sit between the verb and 来/去 (回家来, 上楼去); never after them. A thing object may go either side, with definiteness nudging the choice.
- Aspect 了 attaches after the whole complement (回去了), never inside it.
- Next, stack a path morpheme onto this deictic layer in compound directionals; use 两, not 二.
Now practice Chinese
Reading grammar gets you part of the way. The exercises are where it sticks — free, no signup needed.
Start learning Chinese→Related Topics
- Compound Directionals: Path + 来/去HSK 3 — Compound directional complements stack a path morpheme (上/下/进/出/回/过/起) and a deictic 来/去 after the verb: 走进来 'walk in (toward me)', 跑出去 'run out', 拿回来 'bring back' — and the object slots inside, before 来/去: 拿出一本书来 'take out a book'.
- Where the Object Goes in DirectionalsHSK 4 — The word-order rules for objects with directional complements: a place object locks before 来/去 (回学校去), a thing object may split the complement (拿出一本书来) or trail it (拿出来一本书), and definite objects front with 把.
- Directional Complements 趋向补语HSK 2 — A directional complement attaches motion morphemes to a verb to show which way the action moves, anchored to the speaker: 进来 'come in', 出去 'go out', 走进来 'walk in (toward me)' — 来 points toward the speaker, 去 away from them.
- 来 / 去 as Full Verbs (Come / Go)HSK 1 — As main verbs, 来 (come) and 去 (go) are anchored to the speaker — 来 is motion toward me, 去 is motion away — and the destination follows directly with no word for 'to': 你来, 我去学校, 他明天来北京.