Expressing "all along" with "yizhi"

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Expressing "all along" with 一直 (yīzhí) is not complicated. Character for character, it literally means "one straight," and is similar to saying "constantly."

Structure

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

Subject + 一直 + Predicate

To break it down, 一直 (yīzhí) means "straight" or "constantly”. You use this word to express that you are doing something continuously, or continuously doing something since a certain time. This means that something occurred (or someone did an action) and it kept occurring, so 一直 (yīzhí) is used to express this continuous action. It’s important to note that this point in time doesn't necessarily have to be in the past, therefore 一直 (yīzhí) can be used to say something “will happen continuously” in the future.

Also note that although 一直 (yīzhí) means "continuously," it's frequently more natural to use the word "always" in the English translation.

Examples

  • 我 一直 很 忙。("Always" is more natural than "continuously.")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 always continue studying Chinese?
  • 我 一直 想 在 中国 做 老师。I've always wanted to be a teacher in China.
  • 从 早上 七点 到 晚上 十点，我 一直 在 工作。From 7:00 in the morning till 10:00 in the evening, I am continuously working.
  • 18 岁 以后，他 一直 一个人 住。Since he was 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。From here keep walking straight, you will see a big park.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries

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