The structure …来…去
We use the structure ...来...去 to say that someone is moving without a clear direction. With this structure, we can express ideas such as “going back and forth” or we can indicate the duration of an action.
The structure …来…去 
is used to emphasize that the action lasts for a long time or is repeated many times.
We can translate it into English by adding the words “a lot”, “for a long time”. For example: “waited for a long time”, “watched for a long time”.
We also can translate it with the reduplication of the verb. For example: “I waited and waited…”, “he looked and looked”.
is used to emphasize that the action lasts for a long time or is repeated many times.
We can translate it into English by adding the words “a lot”, “for a long time”. For example: “waited for a long time”, “watched for a long time”.
We also can translate it with the reduplication of the verb. For example: “I waited and waited…”, “he looked and looked”.Scheme
verb
来
verb
去
Pay attention
We usually use one-syllable verbs in this structure.
Examples
我听来听去，也听不懂他的话
I listened and listened, but still couldn’t understand his speech
wǒ tīng lái tīng qù, yě tīng bu dǒng tā de huà
想来想去，还是他的方法最好的
After thinking about it, it seems that his method is the best
xiǎng lái xiǎng qù, háishi tā de fāngfǎ zuì hǎo de
With motion verbs, we can translate …来…去 as “...back and forth”, “around”.
For example:
飞来飞去
跑来跑去
走来走去
游来游去
跳来跳去
跑来跑去
走来走去
游来游去
跳来跳去 Examples
一只蜜蜂在房间里飞来飞去
A bee is flying around the room
yì zhǐ mìfēng zài fángjiān lǐ fēi lái fēi qù
一群海豚游来游去
A group of dolphins are swimming back and forth
yì qún hǎitún yóu lái yóu qù
After this structure, we may also use the conjunctions 都是 or 就是 to indicate that no matter how many times certain actions are performed, the result remains the same.
or 就是 to indicate that no matter how many times certain actions are performed, the result remains the same. Pay attention
Then the first part of the sentence can have the conjunction 无论 or 不管 .
or 不管 .Examples
无论多长时间争来争去，都是没有用的
It doesn’t matter how long you struggle, it is useless
wúlùn duō cháng shíjiān zhēng lái zhēng qù, dōu shì méi yǒuyòng de
谈来谈去，就是还是没有一个最好的想法
We still don’t have any good ideas even after talking about it over and over again
tán lái tán qù, jiù shì háishi méi yǒu yí ge zuì hǎo de xiǎngfǎ
不管怎么看来看去，都是看不清楚
No matter how you look at it, you won’t be able to see it clearly
bùguǎn zěnme kàn lái kàn qù, dōu shì kàn bu qīngchu