1. to come
2. (used as a substitute for a more specific verb)
3. hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回来 huílai)
4. ever since (as in 自古以来 zìgǔyǐlái)
5. for the past (amount of time)
6. (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 来世 láishì)
7. (between two verbs) in order to
8. (after a round number) approximately
9. (used after 得 dé to indicate possibility, as in 谈得来 tándelái, or after 不 bù to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不来 chībulái)

1. to exist; to be alive
2. (of sb or sth) to be (located) at
3. (used before a verb to indicate an action in progress)

1. to make; to produce
2. to write; to compose
3. to do; to engage in; to hold (a party etc)
4. (of a person) to be (an intermediary, a good student etc); to become (husband and wife, friends etc)
5. (of a thing) to serve as; to be used for
6. to assume (an air or manner)

1. of; ~'s (possessive particle)
2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun)
3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis)
4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 pígéde "one made of leather" or 跑堂儿的 pǎotángrde "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 xīnde "new one")
5. also pr. dì or di in poetry and songs

1. matter
2. thing
3. item
4. work
5. affair

classifiers: 件, 樁, 回

1. alternative form of 倳 (zì, “to establish”)
2. alternative form of 剚 (zì, “to stab”)