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V来V去

Doing something back and forth / over and over

HSK 5HSK 3.0 · 5

V + 来 + V + 去 (+ 也/都/还是…)

V来V去 describes an action repeated back and forth: 走来走去 'pace up and down', 想来想去 'think it over and over', 说来说去 'go round and round'. Both slots take the SAME verb, always with 来 first. It is usually followed by a result: 想来想去,还是决定不去了, or 也/都 + negative: 找来找去也没找到. 说来说去 can also mean 'when all's said and done'.

HSK 5 listening and reading.

Examples

  • 他在房间里走来走去,好像很着急。

    He paced around the room, looking anxious.

  • 我想来想去,还是决定不去了。

    After thinking it over and over, I decided not to go.

  • 我找来找去,也没找到我的钥匙。

    I searched everywhere but couldn't find my keys.

  • 说来说去,问题还是钱。

    When all's said and done, the problem is money.

Exercises

  1. 1.他紧张地在门口走 走去。

  2. 2.我想来想去, 觉得这个办法最好。

  3. 3.Choose the correct sentence:

  4. 4.“他们讨论来讨论去,也没有结果”意思是:

More grammar points