Difference between revisions of "Expressing "all along" with "yuanlai""
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*你 <em>原来</em> 的 发型 也 很 可爱 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yuánlái</em> de fàxíng yě hěn kě'ài.</span><span class="trans">Your original hairstyle was also very cute.</span> | *你 <em>原来</em> 的 发型 也 很 可爱 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yuánlái</em> de fàxíng yě hěn kě'ài.</span><span class="trans">Your original hairstyle was also very cute.</span> | ||
| − | *这 件 衣服 <em>原来</em> 的 价格 是 999 块 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu <em>yuánlái</em> de jiàgé shì | + | *这 件 衣服 <em>原来</em> 的 价格 是 999 块 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn yīfu <em>yuánlái</em> de jiàgé shì jiǔbǎi jiǔshí-jiǔ kuài.</span><span class="trans">The original price is 999 RMB.</span> |
*她们 <em>原来</em> 只是 邻居 ，现在 是 很好 的 朋友 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>yuánlái</em> zhǐ shì línjū, xiànzài shì hěn hǎo de péngyou.</span><span class="trans">Originally they were just neighbors. Now they're very good friends.</span> | *她们 <em>原来</em> 只是 邻居 ，现在 是 很好 的 朋友 。<span class="pinyin">Tāmen <em>yuánlái</em> zhǐ shì línjū, xiànzài shì hěn hǎo de péngyou.</span><span class="trans">Originally they were just neighbors. Now they're very good friends.</span> | ||
*我们 <em>原来</em> 住 在 浦东 ，几 个 月 以前 搬 到 了 这里 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>yuánlái</em> zhù zài Pǔdōng, jǐ gè yuè yǐqián bān dào le zhèlǐ.</span><span class="trans">Originally we lived in Pudong. We moved here a few months ago.</span> | *我们 <em>原来</em> 住 在 浦东 ，几 个 月 以前 搬 到 了 这里 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>yuánlái</em> zhù zài Pǔdōng, jǐ gè yuè yǐqián bān dào le zhèlǐ.</span><span class="trans">Originally we lived in Pudong. We moved here a few months ago.</span> | ||
Revision as of 03:03, 23 November 2018
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Keywords
原来 (yuánlái) means "originally" (similar to 本来) or "former." It can also mean "all along" and can be used to indicate a sudden realization of something previously unknown—a bit like "so it's been like that all along, how could I not have realized?"
Contents
Used as "Original" or "Originally"
Structure
原来 + 的 + Noun
Subj. + 原来 + Predicate
Examples
- 你 原来 的 发型 也 很 可爱 。Your original hairstyle was also very cute.
- 这 件 衣服 原来 的 价格 是 999 块 。The original price is 999 RMB.
- 她们 原来 只是 邻居 ，现在 是 很好 的 朋友 。Originally they were just neighbors. Now they're very good friends.
- 我们 原来 住 在 浦东 ，几 个 月 以前 搬 到 了 这里 。Originally we lived in Pudong. We moved here a few months ago.
- 原来 她 是 他 的 中文 老师，现在 是 他 老婆 。She was originally his Chinese teacher. She is now his wife.
Used as "All along"
Structure
原来 + [New Information]
Examples
- 原来 是 你 ！So it was you all along!
- 原来 你们 认识 ！ So you both knew each other this whole time!
- 原来 是 这样 ！Oh, so it's like that!
- 原来 你 这么 有钱！It turns out you are so rich!
- 原来 你 在 骗 我 ！ 我 怎么 那么 傻 ？ You have been tricking me, how could I be so stupid?
The more formal expression 原来如此 (yuánlái rúcǐ) can be used like 原来是这样 in example 3.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 94-6) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 195-6) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 5 (新实用汉语课本5) (pp. 29) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇) (pp. 22-23) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
