How to use 起来
Verb + 起来
起来 can extend a directional idea into actions that gather, combine, or secure things. Instead of moving physically upward, items may be brought together into a total, collected into one place, or put away for later. The particular verb determines which extension is relevant. This lesson focuses on those collecting and storing meanings rather than every use of 起来.
Attach 起来 to the action verb and keep any object in a position appropriate to the sentence. A 把 construction is especially useful when describing what happens to specified items. Do not automatically translate 起来 as start to: that is another possible use, while the verbs here commonly point to aggregation or putting something aside.
Examples with pinyin and English
13 和 15 加起来是多少？
How much are 13 and 15 added up?
他把衣服都收起来了。
He put away the clothes.
我老婆把钱都存起来了。
My wife saves all our money.
把你的玩具都收起来。
Put your toys away.
What to remember
- Look for a meaning of gathering or storing.
- Let the verb determine the particular extension.
- Do not assume every 起来 means start doing.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
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