<p><strong>起来</strong> in this case is used as an adverb. It is combined with the verb <strong>看</strong> together as a phrase. <strong>看起来</strong> means looks as if. The people who is saying this sentence may not really look inside the volume of that bag, but only guess it would be big enough for carrying things, or fit someone's figure.</p>

<p>You can also make some other phrases in the same way, such as <strong>闻起来</strong> for "smells", <strong>吃起来</strong> for "tastes", etc.</p>

<ul>
<li>"这道菜闻起来很香". This dish smells delicious(but might not tried yet).</li>
<li>"这道菜吃起来很香". This dish tastes good.</li>
</ul>

<p>In such cases 起来 has nothing to do with the meaning get up. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-24T10:00:35.383Z
2015-12-24T10:00:35.383Z
Chu Rui
<p>"起來" changes the voice from active to passive. In English we have <strong>eat</strong> and <strong>taste</strong>. Similarly in Chinese we have "吃" and "吃起來." So when I <strong>eat</strong> a bread, I "吃" a bread, and the bread <strong>tastes</strong> good to me, so it "吃起來" very good.</p>

<p>Also you can say "嚐起來," where "嚐" means to taste something, e.g. I <strong>tasted</strong> that dish which would be I "嚐" that dish, while that dish <strong>tasted</strong> good being it "嚐起來" quite good. Notice the difference between the two meanings of <strong>taste</strong>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-25T17:29:03.497Z
2015-12-25T17:29:03.497Z
Vibius
<p>As Chu Rui said 看起来 means look as if. It is right. But what I want to mention is that if 起来 is after a verb, most time focus on the feeling of your behavior. In this sentence , <code>看起来</code> focus on the the feeling which is that the bag seems not big through your eyes.</p>

<p>In Chu Rui’s example, <code>闻起来</code> and <code>吃起来</code> , they all focus on the subjective feeling of the behavior. <code>闻起来</code> means smell but is different from single word <code>闻</code> , <code>闻起来</code> make the sentence focus on the the feeling of the object which is good or not.</p>

<p>There is a pattern when use Verb+起来. You can follow this way:</p>

<pre><code>Subject + Verb + 起来 + Adjective.
</code></pre>

<p>The adjective is used to describe the subject through one kind of behaviors. The central point of this sentence is the Adjective you used to describe the subject.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-25T12:07:16.517Z
2015-12-25T12:07:16.517Z
einverne
<p>This school bag is apparently not big (enough).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-23T20:31:31.227Z
2015-12-23T21:32:51.967Z
2015-12-23T21:32:51.967Z
alwaysnoone
<p>Can somebody please help me in the translation of this phrase?</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>这个书包看起来不大</p>
</blockquote>

<p>What does 起来 mean in this context?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-24T03:30:09.487Z
Let me give a try! 起來 literally (words for words translation) means〝rise up〞, so 看起來 is, kind of,  equivalent to "look from a general (3D) perspective" and thus 看起來不大 would means "Look no further like a big one".   With that, the tranlation would be "The bookbag doesn't look like a big one".
Jesse
<meaning>
What does 这个书包看起来不大 mean?
# What does 这个书包看起来不大 mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-12-23)

Can somebody please help me in the translation of this phrase?

> 这个书包看起来不大

What does 起来 mean in this context?

**Tags:** meaning
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Let me give a try! 起來 literally (words for words translation) means〝rise up〞, so 看起來 is, kind of,  equivalent to "look from a general (3D) perspective" and thus 看起來不大 would means "Look no further like a big one".   With that, the tranlation would be "The bookbag doesn't look like a big one".  

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-12-24. Score: 2

**起来** in this case is used as an adverb. It is combined with the verb **看** together as a phrase. **看起来** means looks as if. The people who is saying this sentence may not really look inside the volume of that bag, but only guess it would be big enough for carrying things, or fit someone's figure.

You can also make some other phrases in the same way, such as **闻起来** for "smells", **吃起来** for "tastes", etc.

* "这道菜闻起来很香". This dish smells delicious(but might not tried yet).
* "这道菜吃起来很香". This dish tastes good.

In such cases 起来 has nothing to do with the meaning get up.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2015-12-25. Score: 0

"起來" changes the voice from active to passive. In English we have **eat** and **taste**. Similarly in Chinese we have "吃" and "吃起來." So when I **eat** a bread, I "吃" a bread, and the bread **tastes** good to me, so it "吃起來" very good.

Also you can say "嚐起來," where "嚐" means to taste something, e.g. I **tasted** that dish which would be I "嚐" that dish, while that dish **tasted** good being it "嚐起來" quite good. Notice the difference between the two meanings of **taste**.


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### Answer by username_4 on 2015-12-25. Score: 0

As Chu Rui said 看起来 means look as if. It is right. But what I want to mention is that if 起来 is after a verb, most time focus on the feeling of your behavior. In this sentence , 看起来 focus on the the feeling which is that the bag seems not big through your eyes.
In Chu Rui’s example, 闻起来 and 吃起来 , they all focus on the subjective feeling of the behavior. 闻起来 means smell but is different from single word 闻 , 闻起来 make the sentence focus on the the feeling of the object which is good or not.
There is a pattern when use Verb+起来. You can follow this way:
Subject + Verb + 起来 + Adjective.

The adjective is used to describe the subject through one kind of behaviors. The central point of this sentence is the Adjective you used to describe the subject.


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### Answer by username_5 on 2015-12-23. Score: 0

This school bag is apparently not big (enough).


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