HSK 5
趋向补语 4：表示时间意义（引申用法）
qū xiàng bǔ yǔ 4 ： biǎo shì shí jiān yì yì （ yǐn shēn yòng fǎ ）
Directional complement 4: Used to indicate temporal meaning (extended usage)
Explanation
This is the extended usage (引申用法 yǐnshēn yòngfǎ - used in a derived sense, no longer the original meaning) of the directional complement (a component after the verb that originally indicates the direction of the action). Here it does not indicate real direction, but expresses a MEANING OF TIME / the progression of the action.
There are two groups. (1) Verb + 上 (shàng) / 起来 (qǐlái): expresses an action STARTING and continuing - 玩儿上游戏 (starting to play games), 哭起来 (bursting into tears), 干起来 (getting down to work). (2) Verb + 下去 (xiàqù) / 下来 (xiàlái): expresses an action CONTINUING over a stretch - 说下去 (keep talking), 坚持下去 (keep persevering), 保持下来 (managed to maintain).
起来/上 when you want to say an action is initiated (starting to cry, starting to do). 下去 when you want to continue an ongoing action toward the future (说下去 - keep talking). 下来 when a process has lasted from the past and the result is kept up to the present (习惯保持下来了 - kept the habit up to now).
下去 (xiàqù) emphasizes CONTINUING forward/into the future; 下来 (xiàlái) emphasizes maintaining, fixing a result from the past up to now. 你说下去 = keep talking; 记录下来 = write it down and keep it.
Vietnamese learners often confuse 下去 and 下来, or drop 了 (le) when the action has already begun. Remember: use 起来/上 for starting (哭起来了), 下去 for continuing onward (说下去), 下来 for keeping up to now (保持下来了).
Examples
This child has started playing games again.
He burst into loud tears.
This work was already gotten underway last month.
Don't be nervous, go on and keep talking.
If you keep persevering like this, you will surely succeed.
Your Chinese is spoken quite well; I suggest you keep on studying.
Over these three years, I have managed to maintain the habit of exercising an hour every day.
Practice
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The grammar point “趋向补语 4：表示时间意义（引申用法）” (Directional complement 4: Used to indicate temporal meaning (extended usage)) is one of the key structures at HSK 5. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
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