来自 (lái zì) — to come from in Mandarin
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#478 most common word · HSK 5 · CEFR C1
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
来自 is pronounced lái zì. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Tā láizì Zhōngguó.
He comes from China.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 来自 mean?+
来自 (lái zì) means "to come from" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 来自?+
来自 is pronounced lái zì. It uses the tone 2 (rising), then the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 来自 in Mandarin?+
来自 is the #478 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 来自 fits
Every HSK 5 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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