More Uses of 起来 (qǐlái) – Learn two advanced uses of 起来: expressing “seem to be” (personal assessment) and “recalling to mind” (memory retrieval)
Seem to be
Indicating the speaker’s assessment or impression
Key: Personal perception or judgment
Structure: Verb + 起来 + Adjective
Surfacing in Memory
Recalling something to one’s mind
Key: Memory retrieval
Structure: 想/记 + 起来
1 Seem to be (Personal Assessment)
When 起来 (qǐlái) is used after sensory verbs (看, 听, 闻, 尝, 摸, 穿, etc.), it indicates the speaker’s personal assessment or impression based on that sensory experience. This usage often translates as “seems to be” or “appears to be” in English.
Assessment Process Visualization
Examples: “Seem to be” Usage
看起来 (kàn qǐlái)
This plan looks feasible.
听起来 (tīng qǐlái)
Your suggestion sounds good.
尝起来 (cháng qǐlái)
This soup tastes very salty.
穿起来 (chuān qǐlái)
This clothing feels comfortable to wear.
2 Surfacing in Memory (Recalling)
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Practice Exercises
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