Expressing "all along" with "yuanlai"
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
原来 (yuánlái) means "originally" (similar to 本来) or "former". It can also mean "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?".
Contents
原来 as "all along"
Structure
原来 + [recently discovered information]
Here 原来 means "all along".
Examples
- 原来 你 一直 在 骗 我，我 怎么 那么 傻？You have been tricking me this whole time, how could I be so stupid?
- 原来 是 你！我 都 没 认出来！So it was you after all! I never imagined it.
- A: 我们 以前 是 同学，我 当然 认识 他。 B: 哦，原来 是 这样 啊！A: We used to be classmates, of course I recognize you. B:Oh, so that's how!
- 原来 你 什么 都 不 懂，为什么 还 说 自己 是 个 博士？It turns out you don't know anything. Why are you still calling yourself a doctor?
The more formal expression 原来如此 can be used like 原来是这样 in example 3, to mean "oh, so its like that is it?"
原来 as "originally"
Structure
原来 + Noun/Adjective/[verb phrase]
Here 原来 means "originally" or "former".
Examples
- 你 原来 的 发型 很 可爱， 剪 了 太 可惜 了！
- 我 发誓 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。
