How to use 来…去
Verb + 来 + verb + 去
Repeating the same verb around 来 and 去 presents an action as moving back and forth or continuing through repeated turns. With movement verbs, the direction may be literal. With thinking or speaking verbs, the pattern suggests returning to a subject, considering it repeatedly, or going over similar points. It often emphasizes the process rather than a clear destination or completed result.
Use an identical verb in both positions and let the following context explain what comes of the activity. Repetition can suggest restlessness, uncertainty, or frustration, but those feelings are not mandatory. The pattern is more specific than simply saying an action happens often: it evokes movement between directions or repeated attention within the same episode.
Examples with pinyin and English
学生们都很紧张，在考场外面走来走去。
The students are all nervous, they are all pacing back and forth outside of the exam room.
他说来说去还不承认自己错了。
He's been yakking a lot, but he still hasn't admitted that he's wrong.
我想来想去都想不明白，他怎么能那样对我？
I've thought and thought about it, but I can't understand, how could you treat me like that?
他翻来翻去， 终于找到了那双破袜子。
He searched everywhere and finally found the pair of worn-out socks.
What to remember
- Repeat the same verb on both sides.
- Interpret 来 and 去 literally or figuratively as context requires.
- Use the next clause to state a result or observation.
Practise the pattern
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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.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.