Expressing "all along" with "yizhi"

Level

A2 / HSK3
Level

A2
Level

HSK3
Similar to
Similar to
- Expressing "always" with "zongshi" (HSK3)
- Comparing "buduan" and "buting" (HSK6)
- Comparing "yizhi" and "yixiang" (HSK6)
- Expressing "again and again" with "yizai" (HSK6)
- Expressing "since the beginning" with "yixiang" (HSK6)
Used for

Describing actions, Referring to habitual actions, Expressing frequency, Expressing time and date
Keywords

一直

Expressing "all along" with 一直 (yīzhí) is pretty easy. Character for character, it literally means "one straight," and it's sort of like saying "constantly."

Structure

This structure expresses the continuation of an action or a circumstance.

Subject + 一直 + Predicate

Examples

我一直很忙。I am always very busy.
北京的空气一直很不好。The air in Beijing has been bad for a while.
她一直很喜欢上海。She has always liked Shanghai a lot.
我一直很爱你！I've always loved you a lot!
你会一直学中文吗？Will you keep studying Chinese?
我一直想在中国做老师。I've always wanted to be a teacher in China.
从 7:00am 到 10:00pm，我一直在工作。From 7:00am till 10:00pm I am continuously working.
18 岁以后，他一直一个人住。Since turning 18, he has always lived alone.
我一直在现在的公司里工作。I've always worked at this company.
从这里一直走，你会看到一个大公园。Keep walking straight from here, you will see a big park.

Sources and further reading

Books

现代汉语八百词（增订本） (p. 610) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 308-9) →buy

Dictionaries

现代汉语词典（第5版） (p. 1601) →buy