Comparison of '出来' (chūlai) and '起来' (qǐlai)

Description

Both '出来' (chūlai) and '起来' (qǐlai) are directional complements in Chinese that can indicate the result or direction of an action. They often appear after verbs to convey different nuances.

'出来' (chūlai)

'出来' (chūlai) literally means "to come out" and is used to indicate an action that results in something becoming visible, emerging, or being revealed. It often implies a movement from inside to outside or the completion of a hidden or internal process.

Examples

• 他从房间里走出来。(Tā cóng fángjiān lǐ zǒu chūlai.) - He walked out of the room.
• 这本书出版出来了。(Zhè běn shū chūbǎn chūlai le.) - This book has been published.
• 我看出来你不开心。(Wǒ kàn chūlai nǐ bù kāixīn.) - I can tell that you are not happy.

'起来' (qǐlai)

'起来' (qǐlai) literally means "to rise up" and is used to indicate the beginning or initiation of an action, or to show a change in state. It often conveys a sense of upward movement or starting something.

Examples

• 他早上六点起来。(Tā zǎoshang liù diǎn qǐlai.) - He gets up at six in the morning.
• 天气冷起来了。(Tiānqì lěng qǐlai le.) - The weather is starting to get cold.
• 他们唱起歌来。(Tāmen chàng qǐ gē lai.) - They started to sing.

Key Points

• '出来' (chūlai) often indicates an emergence or revelation of something, with a sense of moving from inside to outside or becoming visible.
• '起来' (qǐlai) often indicates the beginning or initiation of an action, or a change in state, with a sense of upward movement or starting.
• Use '出来' to express outcomes that involve visibility or revelation, and '起来' to express the start of actions or changes in state.