<p>if you want to say &quot;This house seems uncomfortable to live&quot; you will say 这个房子似乎住起来不舒服。似乎 = seem. means you didn't live in the house you just conjecture this house is not uncomfortable to live.<br />
这个房子住起来不舒服 mean you have lived the house already. uncomfortable is your feedback to the house.
and the correct way always subject+verb+object so always let 这个房子 lead the sentence. and there is only 住在(live in) or 住起来(live up) are correct.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-28T08:30:35.370Z
I don't think 这个房子 is the subject of the sentence: a house can not live. The subject must be a person but it is implied from the context.
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-28T16:26:43.270Z
the "被" is omitted.
Yang Chen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-28T01:42:38.040Z
2020-08-28T01:42:38.040Z
Yang Chen
<p>住起在 and 住在起 are both ungrammatical. It is either 住起来(upon living) or 住在(live in). You can write &quot;住在这个房子讓我很不舒服&quot; - &quot; living in this house make me uncomfortable&quot; But you cannot add 起来 to it</p>
<ul>
<li><p>起来 = upon</p>
</li>
<li><p>[Verb + 起来] = [upon + verb] --  e.g. 住起来 (upon living)</p>
</li>
<li><p>[Verb + 起来 + adj = [seem/feel + adj + upon + verb] -- e.g. 住起来不舒服 (feel uncomfortable upon living in it)</p>
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>他看起来很友好 = seem friendly, upon looking at him = he seems friendly when looking at him</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>你的头发闻起来很香 = seem to smell nice upon smelling your hair = your hair smells nice when smelling it</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>你的床摸起来很舒服 = feel comfortable upon touching your bed = your bed feel comfortable when touching it</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T14:59:33.893Z
What about 住起这个房子来不舒服。? Is it possible to add the object in between 起来?
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T15:04:49.670Z
[这个房子]住起来不舒服 --> 住起[这个房子]来不舒服. You are moving the topic [这个房子] into the comment and insert it between [起来] . It is ungrammatical.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T15:16:51.430Z
Ah ok, so this is only possible then when 起来 indicates [initiation of an action](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Direction_complement_%22-qilai%22#Used_for_Initiation_of_an_Action)? Because I came across this example: 等一会儿，我想起他的名字来了。which I understand as: *Wait a moment, I'm starting to think her name*.
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T15:19:58.213Z
@Puco4 Adding an object in between is not impossible. E. g. 跳起舞来，她跳起舞来真好看。but I can't think of a case to make 住起房子来 valid.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T15:26:42.397Z
@Puco4 Yes,  you can insert the object between 起来 in ' initiation of an action'  structure. But in your question, you stated "indicates an initial judgment" In this case, the object cannot be inserted between 起来
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T15:29:03.000Z
Ah! Ok, maybe this might be because 这个房子 is actually not the object but is an adverb of place. So actually 这个房子住起来不舒服。is the same as **在这个房子**住起来不舒服。Sounds right?
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T15:39:43.420Z
@Puco4 in 这个房子住起来不舒服, 这个房子 is the topic, 住起来不舒服 is the comment -- 在这个房子住起来不舒服 initiates the action 住, e.g. 他开始在这个房子住起来. '不舒服' is a judgment, it doesn't belong in this sentence
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T15:43:08.947Z
@dan To make 住起房子来 valid, how about 美國人讓猴子也住起房子来, or 猴子住起房子来也不會更有人樣
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T16:05:18.680Z
@TangHo I believe any topic-comment sentence where the topic is not the subject can be rewritten into another topic-comment sentence where the topic is the subject, allowing in the way to expose the "underlying" grammar structure. I understand you say 在这个房子住起来不舒服 is not correct? Why do you say 起来 initiates the action instead of indicating judgement? I thought it can indicate both and here it is more logical to indicate judgement.
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T19:55:59.583Z
The topic in "这个房子住起来不舒服" is "这个房子" ("住起来不舒服" describes the house); As for, "在这个房子住起来不舒服" Because there is a 在 in the sentence, a subject is implied", e.g. (我)在这个房子住起来 (I started to live in the house) .
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T20:01:04.190Z
"(我)在这个房子住起来 不舒服" = "I started to live in the house, not comfortable". It is I who feel uncomfortable, not the house makes me feel uncomfortable. And a better sentence for expressing 'I feel uncomfortable" is  "在这个房子住(让我感到 ) 不舒服"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-28T08:29:05.523Z
@TangHo Independently of the topic-comment sentence, I believe 这个房子住起来不舒服 also has a subject implied: *In this house, (people) seem to live uncomfortable.* The subject is not 这个房子, only a person can be the subject for living in a house.
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T14:49:37.763Z
2020-11-05T22:24:34.927Z
2020-11-05T22:24:34.927Z
Tang Ho
<p>I came across the following sentence:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>这个房子住起来不舒服。</p>
<p>Zhège fángzi zhù qǐlái bu shūfú.</p>
<p>This house seems uncomfortable to live.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I think in this sentence, 起来 indicates <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Direction_complement_%22-qilai%22#Used_for_an_Initial_Judgement" rel="nofollow noreferrer">an initial judgement</a>, i.e. like in English the verb &quot;seems&quot;.</p>
<p>Furthermore, in <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/q/14147/25265">When to use 住在 and when to use just 住?</a> it is argued both 住 and 住在 are quite similar. <strong>I was wondering if it is possible to rewrite the previous sentence (including also 起来) but using 住在 instead of 住.</strong></p>
<p>I thought about the following possibilities:</p>
<ul>
<li>住<strong>起</strong>在这个房子<strong>来</strong>不舒服。</li>
<li>住在<strong>起</strong>这个房子<strong>来</strong>不舒服。</li>
</ul>
<p>Does any look good?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T14:12:21.380Z
Neither is correct.
fefe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-27T15:54:28.550Z
旁邊的工廠好吵，住在這的住起來應該不舒服。
HungYu Chang
<grammar><usage><sentence-structure><word-order><complement>
Is it possible to combine 起来 and 住在？
# Is it possible to combine 起来 and 住在？

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-08-27)

I came across the following sentence:

> 这个房子住起来不舒服。
>
> Zhège fángzi zhù qǐlái bu shūfú.
>
> This house seems uncomfortable to live.

I think in this sentence, 起来 indicates [an initial judgement](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Direction_complement_%22-qilai%22#Used_for_an_Initial_Judgement), i.e. like in English the verb "seems".

Furthermore, in [When to use 住在 and when to use just 住?](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/q/14147/25265) it is argued both 住 and 住在 are quite similar. **I was wondering if it is possible to rewrite the previous sentence (including also 起来) but using 住在 instead of 住.**

I thought about the following possibilities:

* 住**起**在这个房子**来**不舒服。
* 住在**起**这个房子**来**不舒服。

Does any look good?

**Tags:** grammar, usage, sentence-structure, word-order, complement
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Neither is correct.  
> **username_2**: 旁邊的工廠好吵，住在這的住起來應該不舒服。  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-08-27. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

住起在 and 住在起 are both ungrammatical. It is either 住起来(upon living) or 住在(live in). You can write "住在这个房子讓我很不舒服" - " living in this house make me uncomfortable" But you cannot add 起来 to it

* 起来 = upon
* [Verb + 起来] = [upon + verb] -- e.g. 住起来 (upon living)
* [Verb + 起来 + adj = [seem/feel + adj + upon + verb] -- e.g. 住起来不舒服 (feel uncomfortable upon living in it)

> 他看起来很友好 = seem friendly, upon looking at him = he seems friendly when looking at him

> 你的头发闻起来很香 = seem to smell nice upon smelling your hair = your hair smells nice when smelling it

> 你的床摸起来很舒服 = feel comfortable upon touching your bed = your bed feel comfortable when touching it

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: What about 住起这个房子来不舒服。? Is it possible to add the object in between 起来?  
> **username_4**: [这个房子]住起来不舒服 --> 住起[这个房子]来不舒服. You are moving the topic [这个房子] into the comment and insert it between [起来] . It is ungrammatical.  
> **username_0**: Ah ok, so this is only possible then when 起来 indicates [initiation of an action](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Direction_complement_%22-qilai%22#Used_for_Initiation_of_an_Action)? Because I came across this example: 等一会儿，我想起他的名字来了。which I understand as: *Wait a moment, I'm starting to think her name*.  
> **username_5**: @Puco4 Adding an object in between is not impossible. E. g. 跳起舞来，她跳起舞来真好看。but I can't think of a case to make 住起房子来 valid.  
> **username_4**: @Puco4 Yes,  you can insert the object between 起来 in ' initiation of an action'  structure. But in your question, you stated "indicates an initial judgment" In this case, the object cannot be inserted between 起来  
> **username_0**: Ah! Ok, maybe this might be because 这个房子 is actually not the object but is an adverb of place. So actually 这个房子住起来不舒服。is the same as **在这个房子**住起来不舒服。Sounds right?  
> **username_4**: @Puco4 in 这个房子住起来不舒服, 这个房子 is the topic, 住起来不舒服 is the comment -- 在这个房子住起来不舒服 initiates the action 住, e.g. 他开始在这个房子住起来. '不舒服' is a judgment, it doesn't belong in this sentence  
> **username_4**: @dan To make 住起房子来 valid, how about 美國人讓猴子也住起房子来, or 猴子住起房子来也不會更有人樣  
> **username_0**: @TangHo I believe any topic-comment sentence where the topic is not the subject can be rewritten into another topic-comment sentence where the topic is the subject, allowing in the way to expose the "underlying" grammar structure. I understand you say 在这个房子住起来不舒服 is not correct? Why do you say 起来 initiates the action instead of indicating judgement? I thought it can indicate both and here it is more logical to indicate judgement.  
> **username_4**: The topic in "这个房子住起来不舒服" is "这个房子" ("住起来不舒服" describes the house); As for, "在这个房子住起来不舒服" Because there is a 在 in the sentence, a subject is implied", e.g. (我)在这个房子住起来 (I started to live in the house) .  
> **username_4**: "(我)在这个房子住起来 不舒服" = "I started to live in the house, not comfortable". It is I who feel uncomfortable, not the house makes me feel uncomfortable. And a better sentence for expressing 'I feel uncomfortable" is  "在这个房子住(让我感到 ) 不舒服"  
> **username_0**: @TangHo Independently of the topic-comment sentence, I believe 这个房子住起来不舒服 also has a subject implied: *In this house, (people) seem to live uncomfortable.* The subject is not 这个房子, only a person can be the subject for living in a house.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-08-28. Score: 0

if you want to say "This house seems uncomfortable to live" you will say 这个房子似乎住起来不舒服。似乎 = seem. means you didn't live in the house you just conjecture this house is not uncomfortable to live.  
这个房子住起来不舒服 mean you have lived the house already. uncomfortable is your feedback to the house.
and the correct way always subject+verb+object so always let 这个房子 lead the sentence. and there is only 住在(live in) or 住起来(live up) are correct.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I don't think 这个房子 is the subject of the sentence: a house can not live. The subject must be a person but it is implied from the context.  
> **username_3**: the "被" is omitted.  

---

