過來

過來

1. to come over; to get over

   你過不過來？ / 你过不过来？  ―  Nǐ guò bù guòlái?  ―  Are you coming (over here)?

   小明，快過來啊。 / 小明，快过来啊。  ―  Xiǎo míng, kuài guòlái a.  ―  Xiaoming, get over here.

2. to pass through certain (tumultuous) periods or challenges

   • 雪山、草地都過來了，眼前到陝北七八-百里就都是草灘、雪崖，我們也要走過去。 [MSC, trad.]
     雪山、草地都过来了，眼前到陕北七八-百里就都是草滩、雪崖，我们也要走过去。 [MSC, simp.]

     From: 2014, 潘强恩, 《一二九学生运动》

     Xuěshān, cǎodì dōu guòlái le, yǎnqián dào Shǎnběi qībābǎi lǐ jiù dōu shì cǎotān, xuěyá, wǒmen yě yào zǒu guòqù. [Pinyin]

     We've already passed through snowy mountains and grasslands; even if the next seven or eight hundred li to Shaanbei are all grassy marshland or snowy cliffs, we must still keep marching.

3. A verbal complement indicating movement towards the speaker, or a turn or change in the direction of the speaker.

   走過來 / 走过来  ―  zǒu guòlai  ―  to walk towards the speaker

   他轉過頭來 / 他转过头来  ―  tā zhuǎn guò tóu lai  ―  He turned his head (towards the speaker)

   把文件發過來 / 把文件发过来  ―  bǎ wénjiàn fā guòlai  ―  to send the file through

   从英文譯過來的 / 从英文译过来的  ―  cóng yīngwén yì guòlai de  ―  translated over from English (to the language of the speaker)

   人馬上圍過來了。 / 人马上围过来了。  ―  Rén mǎshàng wéi guòlai le.  ―  Soon (I) was surrounded by people.

4. A verbal complement indicating a return to the original, normal and typically an improved state.

   醒過來 / 醒过来  ―  xǐng guòlai  ―  to wake up (from a coma, a deep sleep, etc.)

   還沒明白過來 / 还没明白过来  ―  hái méi míngbai guòlai  ―  still in a confused state

   把壞習慣改過來 / 把坏习惯改过来  ―  bǎ huàixíguàn gǎi guòlai  ―  to correct the bad habits (for the better)

5. A verbal complement indicating sufficiency of time, ability, etc.

   忙不過來 / 忙不过来  ―  máng bù guòlai  ―  to be up to one's neck in work

   孩子照顧得過來 / 孩子照顾得过来  ―  háizi zhàogù de guòlai  ―  to have the time and ability to care for the child(ren)