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来 — to come; hither; ever since

to come; hither; ever since; for the past

Pinyin
lái
Strokes
7
HSK level
HSK 1
Handwriting
required

How to write 来: 7 strokes

Each cell adds one stroke to the previous ones, with the new stroke in red. Stroke order is not decoration: it sets the proportions of the character and makes handwriting legible to a reader. This character is on the HSK handwriting list, so the exam expects you to write it, not only recognise it.

来 — 7 strokes, in writing order from left to right.

Build a printable practice sheet with 来

Words with 来 in the HSK syllabus: 52

Every word in the official 2026 syllabus that contains this character, with the level it is introduced at. Learning a character pays off through these: each one combines with the characters you already know.

  1. 来láito come; hither; ever since; for the pastHSK 1
  2. 出来chūláito come out; to appear; to ariseHSK 2
  3. 过来guòláito come over; to manage; to handleHSK 2
  4. 回来huíláito return; to come backHSK 2
  5. 进来jìnláito come inHSK 2
  6. 起来qǐláito stand up; to get upHSK 2
  7. 上来shàngláito come up; to approachHSK 2
  8. 下来xiàláito come down; to be harvested; to be overHSK 2
  9. 后来hòuláiafterwards; later; newly arrivedHSK 3
  10. 看来kànláiapparently; it seems thatHSK 3
  11. 来自láizìto come from; From:HSK 3
  12. 本来běnláioriginal; originally; at firstHSK 4
  13. 从来cóngláialways; at all times; neverHSK 4
  14. 到来dàoláito arrive; arrival; adventHSK 4
  15. 将来jiāngláiin the future; future; the futureHSK 4
  16. 来不及láibujíthere's not enough time; it's too lateHSK 4
  17. 来得及láidejíto have enough time; can do it in time; can still make itHSK 4
  18. 用来yòngláito be used forHSK 4
  19. 原来yuánláioriginal; former; originally; formerly; at firstHSK 4
  20. 近年来jìnnián láifor the past few yearsHSK 5
  21. 来源láiyuánsource; originHSK 5
  22. 前来qiánláito come; before; previouslyHSK 5
  23. 未来wèiláifuture; tomorrow; approaching; coming; pendingHSK 5
  24. 以来yǐláisinceHSK 5
  25. 近来jìnláirecently; latelyHSK 6
  26. 来临láilínto approach; to come closerHSK 6
  27. 来往láiwǎngto come and go; to have dealings withHSK 6
  28. 外来wàiláiexternal; foreign; outsideHSK 6
  29. 往来wǎngláidealings; contacts; to go back and forthHSK 6
  30. 由来yóuláioriginHSK 6
  31. 自来水zìláishuǐrunning water; tap waterHSK 6
  32. 长期以来chángqī yǐláifor a long timeHSK 7–9
  33. 到头来dàotóuláiin the end; finally; as a resultHSK 7–9
  34. 多年来duō nián láifor the past many yearsHSK 7–9
  35. 翻来覆去fānlái-fùqùto toss and turn; again and againHSK 7–9
  36. 归来guīláito return; to come backHSK 7–9
  37. 划不来huábuláinot worth itHSK 7–9
  38. 划得来huádeláiworth it; it pays toHSK 7–9
  39. 苦尽甘来kǔjìn-gānláibitterness finishes, sweetness begins; the hard times are over, the good times just beginningHSK 7–9
  40. 来宾láibīnguest; visitorHSK 7–9

And 12 more across the higher levels — the full lists are on the level pages.

Glosses come from CC-CEDICT, used under CC BY-SA 4.0, and are the dictionary’s first sense rather than a translation chosen for context.