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他试图去讨好她, I get the meaning but what is the nuance of removing 去 to connect the two actions?

3 Answers 3

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This would be my answer

来(to) emphasize the mean

去(to) emphasize the objective

他试图用花去讨好她 - "去" emphasizes the objective is to 讨好她

他试图用花來讨好她 - "來" emphasizes the mean is 花

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  • Interesting. Then what do you think about 这件事你来/去做?
    – lilysirius
    May 12 at 3:14
  • "Then what do you think about 这件事你来/去做?" Personally and in an informal work place setting, 这件事你来做 would be used when the action to be taken is immediate and could be done locally, and 这件事你去做 would be for the future, whether done locally or somewhere else. I know this may not be for everyone. But, I suppose you want Tang Ho to say which part of speech of your sentence 来 and 去 are meant to emphasize ? That I better leave it to Master Ho. May 12 at 3:56
  • @lilysirius In my other answer, I mentioned using 来 when the action is close to you; using 去 when the action is a distance away from you, 这件事你来做 = you (come forward to the action, and) do it / 这件事你去做 = you (go) and do it (the action takes place a distance away from you)
    – Tang Ho
    May 12 at 5:47
  • example: 這裡有人受傷,快來救人; 前面有人受傷,快去救人
    – Tang Ho
    May 12 at 12:04
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An infinitive phrase is formed when 去 is placed after a verb to indicate the inclination to do something:

  1. 试图去讨好她 - He "tries to" cozy up to her.

  2. 希望去國外唸書 - He "wishes to" go abroad to study.

  3. 難民都逃去山中了 - Refugees have already "escaped to" the mountains.

Note: For cases 2 & 3, "去" can't be eliminated for it contains the direction message "from here go there", and, "來" can be used in place of "去" with directions changed to "from there come here".

When 來 is placed after a verb, it forms a verbal phrase or "estimate that":

  • 看來不是他 - It "looks like" not him/"Estimate that" it is not him.

  • 說來你不會相信 - "Estimate that" you won't believe.

  • 想來你同意了 - "Estimate that" you have agreed.

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"他试图去讨好她" means the same with "他试图讨好她".

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