来

lái ㄌㄞˊ

1. to come
2. (used as a substitute for a more specific verb)
3. hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來|回来[hui2 lai5])
4. ever since (as in 自古以來|自古以来[zi4 gu3 yi3 lai2])
5. for the past (amount of time)
6. the coming ... the next ... (as in 來世|来世[lai2 shi4])

   prefix

7. in order to

   between two verbs

8. approximately

   after a round number

9. (used after 得[de2] to indicate possibility, as in 談得來|谈得来[tan2 de5 lai2], or after 不[bu4] to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不來|吃不来[chi1 bu5 lai2])