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. 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”)