Directional Complement - Compound

This grammar point is all about layers. You start with a main action verb. This is usually a movement verb like 走 (walk), 跑 (run), or 拿 (take). Then, you add a direction verb. These are words like 上 (up), 下 (down), 进 (in), or 出 (out). Finally, you add the "anchor" word: 来 (come) or 去 (go). This last word is the most important part. It depends entirely on where you are. If the action is moving toward you, use 来. If it is moving away from you, use 去. It is like a grammar traffic light. Green light means "toward me" (来). Red light means "away from me" (去). It sounds complex, but your brain already does this in English. You just need to learn the Chinese sequence.

1. 1Building these sentences follows a very strict 1-2-3 recipe. Do not skip a step, or the sentence will feel "naked" to a native speaker.
2. 2Pick your Main Verb: 跑 (run), 跳 (jump), 带 (bring/take).
3. 3Pick your Direction: 进 (in), 出 (out), 回 (back), 过 (across).
4. 4Pick your Anchor: 来 (toward you) or 去 (away from you).
5. 5Example: 跑 + 进 + 来 = 跑进来 (to run in toward the speaker).
6. 6Example: 拿 + 出 + 去 = 拿出去 (to take out away from the speaker).
7. 7If you have an object (like a book or a person), things get spicy. If the object is a place (like a room or school), it must sit between the direction and the anchor.
8. 8Pattern: Verb + Direction + Place + 来/去.
9. 9Example: 进 + 教室 + 来 (Come into the classroom).

Use this whenever you want to describe a physical movement in detail. It is perfect for real-world scenarios. Imagine you are ordering food and the delivery guy is at the gate. You tell him to "bring it up" (带上来). Or maybe you are at a job interview and the boss asks you to "walk in" (走进来). You use it when you are asking for directions and someone says "go across the street" (走过去). It adds flavor and precision to your speech. Without it, your Chinese feels a bit flat. It is the difference between saying "He moved" and "He came running back inside."

Do not use these for static actions. If you are just sitting, standing, or sleeping, there is no direction. You cannot "sleep toward me" (unless you are in a very strange movie). Also, avoid overcomplicating simple commands. If you just want someone to "go," just say 去. You do not always need a compound complement. If the direction is already clear from the context, adding too many layers can make you sound a bit robotic. Keep it natural. If there is no actual physical movement or change of state, stick to simple verbs.

The biggest trap is the object placement. Many people try to put the place at the very end.

✗ 走进来办公室 (Wrong)

✓ 走进办公室来 (Correct)

Think of the place as a barrier. It has to go inside the complement. Another mistake is mixing up 来 and 去. If you are inside a house and you want your friend to enter, use 进来. If you are outside and want them to go in, use 进去. Yes, even native speakers mess this up when they are tired, so do not sweat it too much! Just remember: where are you standing? That is your North Star.

You might know Simple Directional Complements. Those are just Verb + 来 or Verb + 去. For example, 过来 (come over). Compound complements are just the "Pro" version. They add that middle layer of detail (进, 出, 上, 下).

Simple: 过来 (Come over).

Compound: 走过来 (Walk over here).

Compound complements give you the "how" (walking) and the "where" (across) all at once. It is like upgrading from a flip phone to a smartphone. Both make calls, but one does a lot more.