Expressing "always" with "conglai"

Although perhaps more often used in the negative to mean "never," 从来 (cónglái) can be used with 都 (dōu) to mean "always" or "have always (done)."

Structure with 都

Without the negative adverbs 不 and 没, 从来 takes on the meaning of "always." (Literally, 从来 means something like "from the beginning," although no one is really thinking that phrase when they use it.) When used in the positive, though, it is customary to put the adverb 都 after the 从来.

Subject + 从来 + 都 + Verb Phrase

Examples

• 她 从来 都 是 这样，自私 得 很 。Tā cónglái dōu shì zhèyàng, zìsī dé hěn.She's always been like that, very selfish.
• 我 从来 都 是 一 个 人，已经 习惯 了。Wǒ cónglái dōu shì yīgè rén, yǐjīng xíguànle.I have always been alone; I'm used to it already.
• 他 的 电影 从来 都 是 最 受欢迎 的 。Tā de diànyǐng shì cónglái dōu zuì shòuhuānyíng de.His movies are always the most popular ones.
• 成功 从来 都 是 要 靠 自己 努力 的。 Chénggōng cónglái dōu shì yào kào zìjǐ nǔlì de.Success always depends on one's own efforts.
• 生活 从来 都 是 公平 的，你 不 可能 什么 都 比 别人 好。 Shēnghuó cónglái dōu shì gōngpíng de,nǐ bù kěnéng shénme dōu bǐ biérén hǎo .Life's always been fair and there's no way for you to be better than other people in every way.

See also

• "Never" with "conglai"
• "Always" as a complaint with "laoshi"
• "Always" with "zongshi"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 现代汉语八百词(p.132) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (p. 59) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (p. 121) →buy

Websites

• Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Usage of 从来