Expressing "never" with "conglai"

Although it can also work in the positive, 从来 (cónglái) is usually learned when you want to express that you never do something (as a habit, or as a rule), or that you have never done something (it's not a part of your life experience). In either of these two usages, 从来 may be shortened to just 从 in casual speech.

Structure with 不

When you follow 从来 with 不, you are expressing that you never do something (as a habit, or as a rule). It's often used as a way to refuse something, as in "I never drink."

Keep in mind that 从来 may be shortened to just 从 in casual speech.

Subject + 从来 不 + Verb Phrase

Examples

• 她 对 酒 过敏，所以 从来 不 喝酒。She is allergic to alcohol, she does not drink.
• 我 从来 不 喜欢 一 个 人 在 家。I have never liked being home alone.
• 他 从 不 关心 别人，只 关心 自己。He never cares about others, he only cares about himself
• 我从来不吃鱼。
• 和 家人 在 一起 的 时候，我 从来不 说 英文。
• 我 爸爸 从来不 夸 我。
• 美国 的 父母 从来不 打 孩子 吗？
• 我 的 女朋友 从来不 给 我 打电话。
• 她 很 奇怪，她 从来不 笑。
• 这 个 地方 从来不 下雪。

Structure with 没

Use 从来 with 没 or 没有 (and 过 after the verb) to indicate that you have never done something (it's not a part of your life experience). You're talking about the past now, because you're talking about what you haven't done before, so 没有 is appropriate. 过 also makes sense, because you're making a statement about your life experience.

Keep in mind that 从来 may be shortened to just 从 in casual speech.

Subject + 从来 没(有) + Verb + 过

Note that you can have an object or other information after the verb, but the 过 needs to come immediately after the verb.

Examples

• 我 从来 没 想 过 要 这样 做。I never thought of doing it this way.
• 我 从来 没有 做 过 中国 菜。I have never made Chinese food.
• 他 酒量 很 好，从 没 喝醉 过 。His capacity for liquor is pretty good, He has never been drunk.

Sources and further reading

Books

• BRIDGE (桥梁 实用汉语中级教程上) (pp.40) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (p. 59) →buy

Websites

• Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Usage of 从来