动词 + 起来
judging by doing: when you look at it, say it, use it
Structure
动词 起来 ， 评价
What it means
Gives an impression from doing something: “when you look at it / say it / use it, it is …”.
How it is built
Verb + 起来，comment: 这件事说起来容易，做起来难 (This is easy to say and hard to do). Common: 看起来, 听起来, 吃起来, 用起来.
When to use it
Use it for judgements from experience or appearance; 看起来 also means “it seems”. 起来 has three other jobs: movement upward (站起来), starting (笑起来), gathering up or recalling (收起来, 想起来).
Watch out
Usually the thing judged comes first, as the topic: ✗ 吃起来这个菜不错。 ✓ 这个菜吃起来不错。 Only 看起来 often opens a sentence by itself: 看起来要下雨了 (It looks like rain).
Examples
回家过年看起来已经成了一种信念。
Going home for New Year seems to have become an article of faith.
这件事说起来容易，做起来难。
This is easy to say and hard to do.
Learn this in Lesson 3 · HSK 5: 高铁与春运 (High-speed rail and the New Year rush)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
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