Directional complements show the direction of an action. They attach directly to verbs.
Simple directional complements:
• 来 (towards speaker) / 去 (away from speaker)
• 上 (up) / 下 (down)
• 进 (in) / 出 (out)
• 回 (back) / 过 (over/across)
• 起 (up, starting)
He walked into the room.
Can be combined: 走进来 (walk in towards speaker), 拿出去 (take out away from speaker).
来 vs 去 indicates speaker perspective
- 走进来 = walk in (towards me)
- 走进去 = walk in (away from me)
Compound directional complements
- 上来, 上去, 下来, 下去, 进来, 进去, 出来, 出去...
Object placement
- Place noun: 走进房间来 OR 走进来房间
- Pronoun: always before 来/去 (走进他来 ✗)
He walked into the room.
Please sit down.
She ran out.
Take the book out.
He stood up.
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