Comparing "benlai" and "yuanlai"

If something was originally a certain way, or "should be" a certain way, the Chinese words used are often 本来 (běnlái) and 原来 (yuánlái). 本来 (běnlái) is usually an adverb while 原来 (yuánlái) could be either and adjective or an adverb. However, they are used in different ways and different circumstances, so this article will help you distinguish when and where to use them.

Situations only using 本来

本来 as an adverb often requires 就 for emphasis

本来 is used when something is common sense. There are certain expectations for the speaker and listener. Since there is no real English equivalent, it is best translated as "it goes without saying." It can also be translated to "supposed to," following it with a certain expectation.

Structure

Subj. + 本来 + 就 + 很 / 不 + Adj.

Subj. + 本来 + 就 + 会 / 要 / 得 / 应该 + Verb

Examples

• 生活本来 就 很 不 容易。Shēnghuó běnlái jiù hěn bù róngyì.Life isn't supposed to be very easy.
• 搬家 本来就 很 麻烦。Bānjiā běnlái jiù hěn máfan.Moving is supposed to be very troublesome.
• 照顾 孩子本来 就 是 父母 的 责任。Zhàogù háizi běnlái jiùshì fùmǔ de zérèn.Taking care of children is supposed to be the responsibility of parents.
• 老师本来就 应该 好好 备课。Lǎoshī běnlái jiù yīnggāi hǎohǎo bèikè.Teachers are supposed to prepare their lessons well.
• 美国 人 本来就 会 说 流利 的 英文。Měiguó rén běnlái jiù huì shuō liúlì de Yīngwén.Americans are supposed to speak fluent English.

Using 本来是 expresses a change of plans

If something happened unexpectedly later, 本来 is preferred rather than 原来 considering there is a change of the original situation. 本来 means "originally." Since the action has already happened, the pattern 是⋯⋯的 is suggested here. 是 is optional.

Structure

Subj. + 本来 + 是 +（不）要 / 会 / 应该 + Verb + 的，但是 / 可是⋯⋯

Examples

• 我本来 是 要 去 参加 你的 生日 派对 的，可是 周末 突然 要 加班。Wǒ běnlái shì yào qù cānjiā nǐ de shēngrì pàiduì de, kěshì zhōumò túrán yào jiābān.I was originally going to go to your birthday party, but I had to work some extra time this weekend.
• 他本来是 应该 考 得 更 好 的，可是 那天 他 生病 了。Tā běnlái shì yīnggāi kǎo de gèng hǎo de, kěshì nèitiān tā shēngbìng le.He would have done better on the test, but he was sick that day.
• 我们本来 不 打算 去 的，后来 因为 他们 打 了 好 几次 电话 就 去 了。Wǒmen běnlái bù dǎsuàn qù de, hòulái yīnwèi tāmen dǎ le hǎojǐ cì diànhuà jiù qù le.We didn't plan to go, but we went in the end because they called us several times.
• 这些 工作本来 可以 明天 做 的，不过 如果 你 想 今天 做 完 也 可以。Zhèxiē gōngzuò běnlái kěyǐ míngtiān zuò de, bùguò rúguǒ nǐ xiǎng jīntiān zuò wán yě kěyǐ.This work doesn't need to be done by today. But if you want to finish it sooner, you can.
• 我本来是 要 跟 他 结婚 的，可是 后来 发现 了 我们 真的 不 合适。Wǒ běnlái shì yào gēn tā jiéhūn de, kěshì hòulái fāxiàn le wǒmen zhēn de bù héshì.I was originally going to marry him, but then I found that we are just not meant for each other.

Using 本来就 to stress the tone

If you've got an opinion to express after stating how it "should be" or "should not be," then 本来就 will help you sound more convincing. The end of the sentence usually has an imperative or rhetorical question that leads to an opinion or suggestion, emphasizing the tone.

Structure

Subj. + 本来 + 就 ＋ ⋯⋯

Examples

• 你本来 就 够 瘦 了 ，还要 减肥 吗？Nǐ běnlái jiù gòu shòu le, hái yào jiǎnféi ma?You are already thin enough and you still want to lose weight?
• 他 讲 得本来就 不 对，为什么 还 要 我 听 他 的？Tā jiǎng de běnlái jiù bùduì, wèishénme hái yào wǒ tīng tā de?What he said was wrong all along, so why do you still want me to listen to what he says?
• 他本来就 不 是 个 好 人，你 怎么 还要 帮他？Tā běnlái jiù bù shì gè hǎorén, nǐ zěnme hái yào bāng tā?He was never a good person. Why do you still want to help him?
• 她本来就 不 喜欢你，你 别 再 追 她 了。Tā běnlái jiù bù xǐhuān nǐ, nǐ bié zài zhuī tā le.She never liked you in the first place, so stop going after her.
• 他说话的方式本来就 很 容易 让人 不 舒服，你 别 介意。Tā shuōhuà de fāngshì běnlái jiù hěn róngyì ràng rén bú shūfú, nǐ bié jièyì.The way he tends to speak can easily make people uncomfortable, so don't take it personally.

Situations only using 原来

Using 原来 expresses “It turned out”

原来 is more used to emphasize what you accidentally find out or realize in a situation. 原来 means that the unexpected happened. It's similar to "as it turns out⋯⋯" For this usage, "原来" is normally located at the beginning of the sentence.

The most two useful patterns are as follows:

Structure

原来 + 是 + [Fact / Truth / Reason / Purpose]

怪不得 + [Observation / Situation]，原来 + 是（因为 / 为了 / 想⋯⋯）

Examples

• 原来 是 你 啊！我 刚才 真 没 看 出来。Yuánlái shì nǐ a! Wǒ gāngcái zhēn méi kàn chūlái.It is you! I didn't recognize you until just now.
• 原来 是 这 样 啊，那 是 我 做错 了。Yuánlái shì zhèyàng a, nà shì wǒ zuò cuò le.Oh, that's it. I was doing it wrong all along.
• 怪不得 你 中文 说 得 这么 好，原来你 在 中国 住 了 三十 多 年。Guàibùdé nǐ Zhōngwén shuō de zhème hǎo, yuánláinǐ zài Zhōngguó zhù le sānshí duō nián.No wonder your Chinese is so good. You lived in China for more than 30 years.
• 原来 他们 住 在 一起，怪不得 他们 常常 一起 上 下班。Yuánlái tāmen zhù zài yīqǐ, guàibùdé tāmen chángcháng yīqǐ shàng xiàbān.They are living with each other. No wonder they often come to work and leave work together.
• 怪不得 总是 对 他 那么 好，原来 你 一直 都 喜欢 他.Guàibùdé zǒng shì duì tā nàme hǎo, yuánlái nǐ yīzhí dōu xǐhuān tā.No wonder you treat him so well. You've had feelings for him the whole time.

Use 原来 as an Adjective to Mean "Previous" or "Former"

Structure

原来的 + Noun

Examples

• 这是 我 原来 的 家。Zhè shì wǒ yuánlái de jiā.This is my old house.
• 他 原来 的 公司 关门 了。Tā yuánlái de gōngsī guānmén le.His former company closed down.
• 你们 原来 的 看法 不 是 这 样 的。Nǐmen yuánlái de kànfǎ bù shì zhèyàng de.This is not how you previously thought about it.
• 我 现在 的 男朋友 比 原来 的 男朋友 帅 多了。Wǒ xiànzài de nán péngyǒu bǐ yuánlái de nán péngyǒu shuài duō le.My current boyfriend is a lot cuter than my ex.
• 你 原来 的 头发 那么 黑，现在 白 了 很 多。Nǐ yuánlái de tóufǎ nàme hēi, xiànzài bái le hěn duō.Your hair was so black before, but now it's become a lot whiter.

Sources and further reading

Books

• HSK Standard Course 4上 (pp. 43) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• 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

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