来

Meaning

• to come
• (used as a substitute for a more specific verb)
• hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來|回来[hui2 lai5])
• ever since (as in 自古以來|自古以来[zi4 gu3 yi3 lai2])
• for the past (amount of time)
• (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世|来世[lai2 shi4])
• (between two verbs) in order to
• (after a round number) approximately
• (used after 得[de2] to indicate possibility, as in 談得來|谈得来[tan2 de5 lai2], or after 不[bu4] to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不來|吃不来[chi1 bu5 lai2])