Meanings

1. to come
2. (used as a substitute for a more specific verb)
3. hither (directional complement for motion toward the speaker, as in 回來|回来[huí lai])
4. ever since (as in 自古以來|自古以来[zi4gu3 yi3lai2])
5. for the past (amount of time)
6. (prefix) the coming ...; the next ... (as in 來世|来世[lái shì])
7. (between two verbs) in order to
8. (after a round number) approximately
9. (used after 得[dé] to indicate possibility, as in 談得來|谈得来[tán de lái], or after 不[bù] to indicate impossibility, as in 吃不來|吃不来[chī bu lái])