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 the 从来.

Subj. + 从来 + 都 + Verb Phrase

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，他从来 都 是 赢 的。Wǒmen xiàqí, tā cónglái dōu shì yíng de.He always wins when we play chess.
• 他 说话 从来 都 是 很 大声 的。He always speaks very loudly.
• 生活 从来 都 不 容易。 Shēnghuó cónglái dōu bù róngyì.Life is always hard.
• 他 的 电影 从来 都 是 最 受欢迎 的 。Tā de diànyǐng cónglái dōu shì zuì shòuhuānyíng de.His movies are always the most popular ones.
• 成功 从来 都 是 要 靠 自己 努力 的。 Chénggōng cónglái dōu shì yào kào zìjǐ nǔlì de.Success always depends on one's own efforts.

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