来(lái): to come
to come
Stroke order animation
Character information
- Pinyin
- lái
- Meaning
- to come; (used as a substitute for a more specific verb); hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回来); ever since (as in 自古以来); for the past (amount of time); (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 来世); (between two verbs) in order to; (after a round number) approximately; (used after 得[de2] to indicate possibility, as in 谈得来, or after 不[bu4] to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不来)
- Strokes
- 7
- HSK level
- HSK 1
- Traditional
- 來
Origin & structure
Where 来 comes from and how its parts fit together.
How to write 来 step by step
7 strokes — each frame adds one stroke, shown in dark ink over the lighter ones.
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Words with 来
Common words using 来 — tap any character to open its stroke-order page.
Related characters
Ready to master 来?
Trace 来 stroke by stroke in the online practice tool, or turn it into a printable worksheet PDF with Tianzige practice grids, pinyin, and stroke-order breakdowns.