Expressing "since the beginning" with "yixiang"

一向 (yīxiàng) means "always," but is generally used to express a habit, attitude, or convention which has continued for a long period of time until the present. When you use 一向, you're conveying a sense that "it's always been this way."

Structure

Subj. + 一向 + Habit / Attitude / etc.

Examples

• 小王 一向 上班 很 早，这次 是 怎么了？Xiǎo Wáng yīxiàng shàngbān hěn zǎo, zhè cì shì zěnme le?Xiao Wang has always started work very early. What happened this time?
• 我 一向 不 喜欢 点 外卖。Wǒ yīxiàng bù xǐhuan diǎn wàimài.I have never liked ordering takeout.
• 妈妈 一向 支持 我 的 决定。Māma yīxiàng zhīchí wǒ de juédìng.Mom has always supported my decisions.
• 他 一向 是 个 好 学生，怎么 可能 会 作弊 呢？Tā yīxiàng shìgè hǎo xuéshēng, zěnme kěnéng huì zuòbì ne?He's always been a good student, why would he possibly cheat?
• 中国人 一向 把 红色 视为 吉祥 喜庆 的 颜色。Zhōngguó rén yīxiàng bǎ hóngsè shì wéi jíxiáng xǐqìng de yánsè.Chinese people have always considered red to be a lucky and joyous color.
• 云南 的 雨季 一向 来 得 很 突然。Yúnnán de yǔjì yīxiàng láide hěn tūrán.Yunnan's rainy season always comes suddenly.
• 他 的 态度 一向 很 认真。Tā de tàidù yīxiàng hěn rènzhēn.His attitude has always been very serious.
• 我 一向 都 是 这样 做，没 问题 的。Wǒ yīxiàng dōu shì zhèyàng zuò, méi wèntí de.I always do it like this. It's no problem.

Incorrect Usage

一向 cannot be used with verbs involving changes or actions. In this case, 一直 should be used:

• 中国 的 经济 一向 都 在 快速 发展 。It must have started developing at some point.Zhōngguó de jīngjì yīxiàng dōu zài kuàisù fāzhǎn.
• 中国 的 经济 一直 都 在 快速 发展 。Zhōngguó de jīngjì yīzhí dōu zài kuàisù fāzhǎn.China's economy has been continuously developing rapidly.
• 他 一向 都 在 学 汉语.He must have started, right?Tā yīxiàng dōu zài xué Hànyǔ.
• 他 一直 都 在 学 汉语.Tā yīzhí dōu zài xué Hànyǔ.He's been studying Mandarin all this time.

一向 indicates that a certain state has continued until the present. It cannot be used to express actions in the future. Again, 一直 can be used instead:

• 你 打算 一向 在 上海 工作 吗 ？Nǐ dǎsuàn yīxiàng zài Shànghǎi gōngzuò ma?
• 你 打算 一直 在 上海 工作 吗 ？Nǐ dǎsuàn yīzhí zài Shànghǎi gōngzuò ma?Do you plan to work in Shanghai indefinitely?

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 224-5) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

Websites

• ‘一向’与‘一直’的多角度分析
• ‘一直’和‘一向’

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