Extended use of the directional complement (2): ……起来
In Chinese “起来” (qǐlái) follows a verb or adjective and marks the start of an action or the onset of a new state.
If the verb takes an object, the object goes between “起” and “来”.
Basic Structure
1. Verb / Adjective + 起来
Verb / Adjective + 起来
Meaning:
to start …
or
to begin turning …
2. If there is an object
Verb + 起 + Object + 来
That is, the object slots in between 起 and 来.
Examples
雨已经下起来了。
It has already started raining.
Structure
下 + 起来
to fall (of rain) + to start
雨 — rain
已经 — already
下起来 — to start falling
了 — marks that a new state has begun
Here 起来 marks that the raining has begun.
最近天气热起来了。
The weather has started to warm up lately.
Structure
热 + 起来
to be hot + to begin entering a new state
最近 — lately
天气 — the weather
热起来 — to start getting hot
了 — marks that the state has changed
Here 起来 marks the weather beginning to turn hot.
怎么突然刮起风来了？
Why has the wind suddenly picked up?
Structure
刮 + 起 + 风 + 来
to blow + 起 + wind + 来
怎么 — why / how come
突然 — suddenly
刮风 — the wind blows
刮起风来 — the wind starts up
了 — marks that a new state has begun
Here 风 is the object, so it stands between 起 and 来.
刮起风来the wind starts up
Quick Rule
Verb / Adjective + 起来
Meaning: an action begins, or a new state comes about.
If there is an object:
Verb + 起 + Object + 来
Examples:
下起来to start raining
热起来to start getting hot
刮起风来the wind starts up