Can anyone help with this meaning?

[thomas.jenkins]

Hi there, I'm just wondering if anyone could help explain qi lai (起来) a bit better than my book. Such as kan qi lai, ting qi lai. Sorry if it seems like a simple question but they are new characters to me and can't really get it. My book says it can only be used with sensory verbs such as look, hear, taste. Thanks for any help with this.

Thomas

[skylee]

This thread is relevant -> Verb + 起來

[thomas.jenkins]

Great, thanks. That was really good.

[Hanyu'sWay]

Here are a few more examples.

不说不知道，说起来我们还算是亲戚。

牙疼不是病，疼起来要命。

起来，不愿被奴隶的人们。

这个仗打起来不是一年两年能结束的。

起来吧，都九点钟了。

等会儿就要开始烤肉了。快去把火生起来吧。

春天河水涨起来的时候，这些石头就看不见了。

戏院一散场，街上又热闹起来了。

[duhaoshu]

I think “the verb + 起来“ has the function of emphasizing the process of the verb.

这瓶香水闻起来很香. (zhe ping xiang shui wen qi lai hen xiang )

The perfume smells fragrant.

The sentence here emphasize the action and the process of smell.

Compare：

这瓶香水很香. (zhe ping xiang shui hen xiang)

The perfume is fragrant.

without emphasizing the action of smell

他的话听起来很有道理. (ta de hua ting qi lai hen you dao li)

His words sounds reasonable.

If you put the word 起来 in certain sentence, I think it's easier to understand than just check up the meaning in a dictionary.

I think the fuction of 起来 is a little similar with the english express such as

go into a house (comparing with go to a house)

Besides, 起来can also be used as a single verb, with the meaning of get up, stand up...

for example:

快起来, 上学要迟到了. (kuai qi lai, shang xue yao chi dao le.

Common, Get up！( or Hurry up from bed) You'll be late for school.

Hope it helps.

Edited December 4, 2008 at 05:42 AM by duhaoshu