Expressing "since the beginning" with "yixiang"
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
一向 (yīxiàng) means "always," but is generally used to express a habit, attitude, or convention which has continued for a long period of time until the present. When you use 一向, you're conveying a sense that "it's always been this way."
Structure
Subj. + 一向 + Habit / Attitude / etc.
Examples
- 小王 一向 上班 很 早，这次 是 怎么了？Xiao Wang has always started work very early. What happened this time?
- 我 一向 不 喜欢 点 外卖。I have never liked ordering takeout.
- 妈妈 一向 支持 我 的 决定。Mom has always supported my decisions.
- 他 一向 是 个 好 学生，怎么 可能 会 作弊 呢？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。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。Yunnan's rainy season always comes suddenly.
- 他 的 态度 一向 很 认真。His attitude has always been very serious.
- 我 一向 都 是 这样 做，没 问题 的。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:
- 中国 的 经济 一向 都 在 快速 发展 。It must have started developing at some point.
- 中国 的 经济 一直 都 在 快速 发展 。China's economy has been continuously developing rapidly.
- 他 一向 都 在 学 汉语.He must have started, right?
- 他 一直 都 在 学 汉语.He's been studying Mandarin all this time.
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 ？
- 你 打算 一直 在 上海 工作 吗 ？Do you plan to work in Shanghai continuously?
