动词 + 来 + 动词 + 去
(do) over and over, back and forth
Structure
动词 来 动词 去
What it means
'(Do) over and over, back and forth': repeated movement, or repeated effort that usually gets nowhere.
How it is built
Verb + 来 + same verb + 去: 孩子们在院子里跑来跑去 (the children ran back and forth). With thinking verbs a result follows: 想来想去，还是不知道.
When to use it
Motion verbs mean to and fro (走来走去, 飞来飞去). Other verbs mean again and again, usually without result (想来想去, 说来说去, 挑来挑去), then 也／还是／就是. Very common in speech.
Watch out
No object can go inside the frame; put it first: ✓这个问题想来想去… ✗想问题来想问题去。 Both slots take the same verb.
Examples
他拿着奶茶杯想来想去，也不知道该扔进哪个桶。
He stood holding the milk-tea cup, thinking it over and over, and still didn’t know which bin it went in.
孩子们在院子里跑来跑去，一点儿也不觉得累。
The children ran back and forth in the yard and never got tired.
这件事大家讨论来讨论去，最后还是没有结果。
Everyone discussed it round and round, and in the end nothing was decided.
Learn this in Lesson 12 · HSK 5: 小区生活与垃圾分类 (Life in the compound, and sorting the rubbish)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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