Expressing "always previously" with "xianglai"

Level

C1 / HSK6
Level

C1
Level

HSK6
Similar to
- Expressing "never" with "conglai" (A2)
- Expressing "always" with "conglai" (B1)
Similar to
- Expressing "always" with "conglai" (HSK4)
- Expressing "never" with "conglai" (HSK4)
Used for

Referring to the past, Expressing frequency
Keywords

一向, 向来

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向来 is pretty much the same as 从来, exept that 从来 is almost always used with negation (sentences with 不 or 没）.

Structure

向来 is used the same structure as 从来.You can use an optional 都 after the 向来.The basic meaning of 向来 is that something is always like that until the present.

Subject + 向来（都） + Verb/Verb Phrase

Examples

我父母向来说我不可以跟你们一起出去玩儿，所以我这一次不敢问他们。
我向来努力，所以我每一次考试都得满分。
那个足球队员一向被称为 “金脚”，因为他踢足球踢得非常好。

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries

现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 1489) →buy