Expressing "since the beginning" with "yixiang"

一向 (yī xiàng) is generally used to express a habit, attitude, or ‘set way of things' has continued for a long period of time until the present.

Structure

Subj. + 一向 + Habit / Attitude / etc.

Examples

• 小王 一向 上班 很 早，这次 是 怎么 了？Xiǎo Wáng yīxiàng shàngbān hěn zǎo, zhè cì shì zěn me le?Xiao Wang always went to work very early, what happened this time?
• 我 一向 不 喜欢 点 外卖。Wǒ yīxiàng bù xǐhuān diǎn wàimài.I never like ordering takeout.
• 妈妈 一向 支持 我 的 决定。Māmā yīxiàng zhīchí wǒ de juédìng.Mom always supports my decisions.
• 他 一向 是 个 好 学生，怎么 可能 会 作弊 呢？Tā yīxiàng shìgè hào xuéshēng, zěnme kěnéng huì zuòbì ne?He's always been a good student, why would he possibly cheat?
• 中国人 一向 把 红色 视为 吉祥 喜庆 的 颜色。Zhōngguó rén yīxiàng bǎ hóngsè shì wéi jíxiáng xǐqìng de yánsè.Chinese people have always considered red to be a lucky and joyous color.
• 云南 的 雨季 一向 来 得 很 突然。Yúnnán de yǔjì yīxiàng láidé hěn túrán.Yunnan's rainy season always comes suddenly.
• 他 的 态度 一向 很 认真。Tā de tàidù yīxiàng hěn rènzhēn.His attitude has always been very serious.
• 我 一向 都 是 这样 做，没问题 的。Wǒ yīxiàng dōu shì zhèyàng zuò, méi wèntí de.I always do it like this, it's no problem.

一向 cannot be used with verbs involving changes or actions. In this case, 一直 should be used:

So we cannot say:

• 中国 的经济 一向都在快速发展.Zhōngguó de jīng jǐ yīxiàng dōu zài kuàisù fāzhǎn.
• 他 一向 都 在 学 汉语.Tā yīxiàng dōu zàixué Hànyǔ.

一向 indicates that a certain state has continued until the present. It cannot be used to express actions in the future. Again, 一直 can be used instead:

• 你打算一向在上海工作吗？Nǐ dǎsuàn yīxiàng zài Shànghǎi gōngzuò ma?

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 224-5) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

Websites

• ‘一向’与‘一直’的多角度分析
• ‘一直’和‘一向’

:Yes