起来

Etymology & Components

The Chinese word 起来 (qǐlái) is a verb that means "to get up" or "to rise". It is composed of two characters: 起 (qǐ), which means "to rise" or "to start", and 来 (lái), which is a directional particle that indicates movement towards the speaker. The word 起来 can be used in a variety of contexts, such as:- 起床 (qǐchuáng): to get out of bed- 起身 (qǐshēn): to stand up- 起来走走 (qǐlái zǒuzǒu): to get up and walk around- 起来说话 (qǐlái shuōhuà): to stand up and speakThe word 起来 is also used in a number of idioms and proverbs, such as:- 不怕起得早，就怕想不到 (bùpà qǐdé zǎo, jiùpà xiǎngbùdào): It's not that you're afraid of getting up early, it's that you're afraid you won't be able to think of anything.- 早起三光，晚起三慌 (zǎoqǐ sānguāng, wǎnqǐ sānhuāng): Getting up early brings three blessings, getting up late brings three panics.The word 起来 is a common and versatile word in Chinese, and it is important for HSK learners to understand its meaning and usage.