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

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 从来.

Subj. + 从来 + 都 + Predicate

Examples

• 我 从来 都 一个人 住，已经 习惯 了。Wǒ cónglái dōu yīgèrén zhù, yǐjīng xíguàn le.I have always lived alone; I'm used to it already.
• 她 从来 都 这么 自私 。Tā cónglái dōu zhème zìsī.She's always been this selfish.
• 我们 下棋 ，从来 都 是 他 赢 。Wǒmen xiàqí, cónglái dōu shì tā yíng.He always wins when we play chess.
• 他 说话 从来 都 很 大声 。Tā shuōhuà cónglái dōu hěn dàshēng.He always speaks very loudly.
• 她 找 男朋友 从来 都 找 长 得 帅 的。Tā zhǎo nánpéngyou cónglái dōu zhǎo zhǎng de shuài de.She always find those good-looking guys when she looks for a boyfriend.
• 他 工作 从来 都 很 努力 。Tā gōngzuò cónglái dōu hěn nǔlì.He always works very hard.
• 我 的 学生 从来 都 这么 有自信。Wǒ de xuéshēng cónglái dōu zhème yǒu zìxìn.My students are always so confident.
• 这 种 电影 从来 都 是 最 受 年轻人 欢迎 的 。Zhè zhǒng diànyǐng cónglái dōu shì zuì shòu niánqīng rén huānyíng de.This type of movie is always the most popular with young people.
• 成功 从来 都 要 靠 自己 努力 。Chénggōng cónglái dōu yào kào zìjǐ nǔlì.Success always depends on one's own hard word.

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