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 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.")Wǒ yīzhí hěn máng. I am always very busy.
北京的空气一直很不好。 Běijīng de kōngqì yīzhí hěn bù hǎo. The air in Beijing has been bad for a while.
她一直很喜欢上海。 Tā yīzhí hěn xǐhuan Shànghǎi. She has always liked Shanghai a lot.
我一直很爱你！ Wǒ yīzhí hěn ài nǐ! I've always loved you a lot!
你会一直学中文吗？ Nǐ huì yīzhí xué Zhōngwén ma? Will you always continue studying Chinese?
我一直想在中国做老师。 Wǒ yīzhí xiǎng zài Zhōngguó zuò lǎoshī. 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。 Cóng zǎoshang qīdiǎn dào wǎnshang shídiǎn, wǒ yīzhí zài gōngzuò. 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。 Shíbā suì yǐhòu, tā yīzhí yīgèrén zhù. Since he was 18, he has always lived alone.
我一直在现在的公司里工作。 Wǒ yīzhí zài xiànzài de gōngsī lǐ gōngzuò. I've always worked at this company.
从这里一直走，你会看到一个大公园。 Cóng zhèlǐ yīzhí zǒu, nǐ huì kàndào yī gè dà gōngyuán. From here keep walking straight, 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
Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (p. 123) →buy

Dictionaries

现代汉语词典（第5版） (p. 1601) →buy