Difference between revisions of "Expressing "all along" with "yuanlai""
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| − | 原来 (yuánlái) means "all along", and can be used to indicate a sudden realization of something previously unknown, a bit like "so its been like that all along, how could I not have realized?" | + | 原来 (yuánlái) means "all along", and can be used to indicate a sudden realization of something previously unknown, a bit like "so its been like that all along, how could I not have realized?". |
Some examples: | Some examples: | ||
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== Sources and further reading == | == Sources and further reading == | ||
| + | *[[Rhetorical Questions with "nandao"]] | ||
=== Books === | === Books === | ||
Revision as of 07:50, 18 November 2011
原来 (yuánlái) means "all along", and can be used to indicate a sudden realization of something previously unknown, a bit like "so its been like that all along, how could I not have realized?".
Some examples:
- 原来 你 都 在 骗 我，我 怎么 那么 傻？
- 原来 是 你！我 都 没 看 出来！
- A: 他们 俩 昨晚 一起 去 吃饭 B: 哦，原来 是 这样 啊！
- 你 原来 什么 都 不 懂，还 好 意思 说 自己 是 个 博士。
The more formal expression 原来如此 can be used like 原来是这样 in example 2, to mean "oh, so its like that is it?"
原来 can also mean "originally" (similar to 本来) or "former".
For example:
- 你 原来 的 发型 很 可爱， 剪 了 就 太 难看 了！
- 我 保证 我 原来 什么 都 不 知道，她 今早 才 告诉 我 这个 消息。
- 原来 科学家 以为 激光 没有 多大 用处，可 它 却 成为 了 20 世纪 最 重要 的 发明 之一。
Sources and further reading
Books
- 汉语语法百项讲练 pp.94-96
- New Practical Chinese Reader: Textbook 5 p.29
