jìnlái: 进来 - Come in, Enter

• Keywords: jinlai, 进来, come in Chinese, enter in Chinese, how to say come in Chinese, 进来 vs 进去, Chinese directional complements, verb-complement structure, HSK 2 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn how to use 进来 (jìnlái), the essential Chinese verb for 'come in' or 'enter'. This guide explains the critical difference between 进来 (jìnlái) and 进去 (jìnqù), breaks down its characters, and provides practical example sentences for daily conversation. Master this fundamental directional complement to sound more natural when inviting someone into a space from the speaker's perspective.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jìnlái
• Part of Speech: Verb (Directional Complement)
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: To come in or enter a space, moving towards the speaker.
• In a Nutshell: 进来 (jìnlái) is a fundamental directional verb that means “to come in.” The key to understanding it is the direction: the movement is always towards the person speaking. If you are inside a room and someone is at the door, you say “进来!” (Come in!). It combines the action of “entering” (进) with the direction “towards me” (来).

• 进 (jìn): This character means “to enter,” “to advance,” or “to move forward.” It's composed of the 'movement' radical (辶) and a phonetic component. Think of it as the core action of crossing a threshold.
• 来 (lái): This character means “to come.” It indicates movement that is directed towards the speaker or the current point of reference.
• How they combine: Putting them together, 进来 (jìnlái) literally means “enter-come.” This combination creates a precise verb that specifies not just the action of entering, but also the direction of that entry: towards you, the speaker.

While 进来 (jìnlái) is a very practical term, its use is deeply tied to Chinese customs of hospitality. A warm, welcoming “请进来!” (qǐng jìnlái - “please come in!”) is a fundamental part of inviting guests into one's home or office. It's a simple but important gesture of openness and respect. The biggest cultural-linguistic difference for Western learners is the concept of speaker-centric direction. In English, we use prepositions that are neutral to the speaker's location: “Come in,” “Go in.” The word “in” doesn't change. In Chinese, the verb itself changes based on your location.

• 进来 (jìnlái): Movement into a space, towards the speaker.
• 进去 (jìnqù): Movement into a space, away from the speaker.

This reflects a linguistic viewpoint where the speaker's position is the primary reference point for describing actions in space. Mastering this concept is a huge step towards thinking in Chinese.

进来 (jìnlái) is used constantly in everyday life.

• Welcoming Guests: This is its most common use. When someone knocks on your door, you open it and say “请进来!” or more casually, “进来吧!”.
• On the Phone or in a Meeting: You might say to a colleague, “你现在能进来一下我的办公室吗？” (Nǐ xiànzài néng jìnlái yīxià wǒ de bàngōngshì ma? - Can you come into my office for a moment?).
• Figurative Usage: It can also be used for abstract concepts. For example, “这个新想法很难进来我的脑子。” (Zhège xīn xiǎngfǎ hěn nán jìnlái wǒ de nǎozi. - This new idea is hard to get into my head.) Here, 'in' means into your understanding.

Its formality depends on the context. A sharp “进来!” can be a command, while “请进来” (qǐng jìnlái) is universally polite.

• Example 1:
  • 门开着，你进来吧！
  • Pinyin: Mén kāizhe, nǐ jìnlái ba!
  • English: The door is open, come on in!
  • Analysis: A very common, friendly, and informal invitation. The speaker is inside.
• Example 2:
  • 王经理，请进来坐。
  • Pinyin: Wáng jīnglǐ, qǐng jìnlái zuò.
  • English: Manager Wang, please come in and have a seat.
  • Analysis: This shows the polite form using 请 (qǐng). It's standard in business or more formal settings.
• Example 3:
  • 我可以进来吗？
  • Pinyin: Wǒ kěyǐ jìnlái ma?
  • English: May I come in?
  • Analysis: An essential polite question to ask before entering someone's private space, like an office or room.
• Example 4:
  • 一只蝴蝶从窗户飞进来了。
  • Pinyin: Yī zhī húdié cóng chuānghu fēi jìnlái le.
  • English: A butterfly flew in through the window.
  • Analysis: Shows 进来 used as a complement to another verb (飞 fēi - to fly). The speaker is inside the room where the butterfly ended up.
• Example 5:
  • 快进来屋里，外面下雨了！
  • Pinyin: Kuài jìnlái wū lǐ, wàimiàn xià yǔ le!
  • English: Quickly come inside the house, it's raining outside!
  • Analysis: When a location word (like 屋里 wū lǐ - inside the house) is used, it's placed between 进 and 来. The structure is: 进 + Location + 来.
• Example 6:
  • 刚才谁进来过我的房间？
  • Pinyin: Gāngcái shéi jìnlái guo wǒ de fángjiān?
  • English: Who came into my room just now?
  • Analysis: A simple question about a past action. The speaker is likely in the room now, asking the question.
• Example 7:
  • 没有我的允许，谁也别进来！
  • Pinyin: Méiyǒu wǒ de yǔnxǔ, shéi yě bié jìnlái!
  • English: Without my permission, nobody come in!
  • Analysis: A strong, prohibitive command using 别 (bié). This shows a very different, authoritative tone.
• Example 8:
  • 外面太吵了，老师说的话我一句也听不进来。
  • Pinyin: Wàimiàn tài chǎo le, lǎoshī shuō de huà wǒ yījù yě tīng bu jìnlái.
  • English: It's too noisy outside, I can't take in a single sentence the teacher is saying.
  • Analysis: A fantastic example of the potential complement form. “听不进来” (tīng bu jìnlái) means the action of “listening-in” is not possible. The sound can't “enter” the mind.
• Example 9:
  • 看到打折，很多顾客都涌进来了。
  • Pinyin: Kàndào dǎzhé, hěnduō gùkè dōu yǒng jìnlái le.
  • English: Seeing the discount, many customers flooded in.
  • Analysis: Uses another verb, 涌 (yǒng - to surge/flood), with 进来 as the directional complement. The speaker is inside the store watching the customers rush in.
• Example 10:
  • 他把新买的沙发搬进来了。
  • Pinyin: Tā bǎ xīn mǎi de shāfā bān jìnlái le.
  • English: He moved the newly bought sofa in.
  • Analysis: Using the 把 (bǎ) structure. The action is “搬” (bān - to move), the direction is 进来, and the speaker is inside the house.

The single most common mistake for English speakers is confusing 进来 (jìnlái) with its opposite, 进去 (jìnqù). The Golden Rule: Your choice depends on the speaker's location.

• Use 进来 (jìnlái - come in): When the direction of movement is TOWARDS you.
  • Context: You are inside your house. Your friend is at the door.
  • You say: “快进来！” (Kuài jìnlái! - Quick, come in!)
• Use 进去 (jìnqù - go in): When the direction of movement is AWAY from you.
  • Context: You and your friend are both outside a coffee shop.
  • You say: “我们进去吧。” (Wǒmen jìnqù ba. - Let's go in.)

Common Mistake Example:

• Two people are standing on the street looking at a museum.
• Incorrect: “你想进来看看吗？” (Nǐ xiǎng jìnlái kànkan ma?)
• Why it's wrong: The speaker is outside, so the movement into the museum is away from them.
• Correct: “你想进去看看吗？” (Nǐ xiǎng jìnqù kànkan ma? - Do you want to go in and have a look?)

Understanding 进来 (jìnlái) is the key to mastering the entire system of Chinese directional complements.

• 进去 (jìnqù) - The direct counterpart: to go in, to enter (moving away from the speaker).
• 出来 (chūlái) - To come out (exiting, moving towards the speaker).
• 出去 (chūqù) - To go out (exiting, moving away from the speaker).
• 上来 (shànglái) - To come up (moving upwards, towards the speaker).
• 上去 (shàngqù) - To go up (moving upwards, away from the speaker).
• 下来 (xiàlái) - To come down (moving downwards, towards the speaker).
• 下去 (xiàqù) - To go down (moving downwards, away from the speaker).
• 回来 (huílái) - To come back, to return (moving towards the speaker's location or home base).
• 回去 (huíqù) - To go back, to return (moving away from the speaker's current location).
• 请进 (qǐng jìn) - A common, slightly more formal way to say “Please enter.” It omits the direction for brevity and is often used by staff or on signs.