用来

用來

yònglái

verb HSK 5 #3,593

Meanings

Use it to come to a purpose - 'to be used for.'

HSK 2

这笔钱用来买房子。

Zhè bǐ qián yònglái mǎi fángzi.

This money is for buying a house.

HSK 2

他用来学习的时间越来越多。

Tā yònglái xuéxí de shíjiān yuèláiyuè duō.

He spends more and more time studying.

HSK 4

这把刀是用来切菜的。

Zhè bǎ dāo shì yònglái qiēcài de.

This knife is used for cutting vegetables.

grammar

用来 connects a tool/resource to its purpose: A + 用来 + verb. The 是...的 pattern is common: 这是用来...的 (this is used for...).

usage

用于 (yòngyú) is more formal/written, while 用来 is natural in spoken Chinese.

用 yòng

来 lái