Difference between revisions of "Expressing "all along" with "yizhi""

 
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{{Grammar Box}}
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{{Grammar Box}}  
  
Expressing "all along" with 一直 (yīzhí) is pretty easy. Character for character, it literally means "one straight," and it's sort of like saying "constantly."
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一直 (yīzhí) literally means "straight."  Used as an [[adverb]], 一直 (yīzhí) can also be used to express that you have been doing something all along, have been continuously doing something since a certain time, or that something will continuously happen in the future.
  
 
== Structure ==
 
== Structure ==
  
This structure expresses the continuation of an action or a circumstance.  
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This structure expresses the continuous nature of an action or a circumstance.  
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Subject + 一直 + Predicate
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Subj. + 一直 + Predicate
 
</div>
 
</div>
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Also note that although 一直 (yīzhí) means "continuously," it is frequently more natural to use the word "[[always]]" in the English translation.
  
 
== Examples ==
 
== Examples ==
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 <em>一直</em> 很 忙。<span class="trans">I am always very busy.</span>
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* 我 <em>一直</em> 在 学习 中文 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yīzhí</em> zài xuéxí Zhōngwén.</span><span class="trans">I've been studying Chinese all along.</span>
* 北京 的 空气 <em>一直</em> 很 不 好。<span class="trans">The air in Beijing has been bad for a while.</span>
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*昨天 晚上 我 <em>一直</em> 在 做作业。 <span class="pinyin">Zuótiān wǎnshang wǒ <em>yīzhí</em> zài zuò zuòyè.</span><span class="trans">Yesterday evening I was continuously doing homework. </span>
* <em>一直</em> 很 喜欢 上海。<span class="trans">She has always liked Shanghai a lot.</span>
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* 老板 <em>一直</em> 很 忙 。<span class="expl">"Always" is more natural than "continuously."</span><span class="pinyin"> Lǎobǎn <em>yīzhí</em> hěn máng.</span><span class="trans">The boss is always very busy.</span>
* 我 <em>一直</em> 很 爱 你!<span class="trans">I've always loved you a lot!</span>
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* 我 <em>一直</em> 很 喜欢 你。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yīzhí</em> hěn xǐhuan nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I've always liked you a lot.</span>
*你 会 <em>一直</em> 学 中文 吗?<span class="trans">Will you keep studying Chinese?</span>
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* 爸爸 <em>一直</em> 都 不 抽烟。 <span class="pinyin">Bàba <em>yīzhí</em> dōu bù chōuyān.</span><span class="trans">Dad has never smoked cigarettes.</span>
*我 <em>一直</em> 在 中国 做 老师。<span class="trans">I've always wanted to be a teacher in China.</span>
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* 我 男朋友 <em>一直</em>在 中国 教 英文。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ nánpéngyou <em>yīzhí</em> zài Zhōngguó jiāo Yīngwén.</span><span class="trans">My boyfriend has always been teaching English in China.</span>
*从 7:00am 到 10:00pm,我 <em>一直</em> 在 工作。<span class="trans">From 7:00am till 10:00pm I am continuously working.</span>
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*18 岁 以后 , 他 <em>一直</em> 一个人 住。 <span class="pinyin">Shíbā suì yǐhòu, tā <em>yīzhí</em> yīgèrén zhù.</span><span class="trans">Since he was 18, he has always lived alone.</span>
*18 岁 以后,他 <em>一直</em> 一个人 住。<span class="trans">Since turning 18, he has always lived alone.</span>
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* <em>一直</em> 在 这 家 公司 工作 吗? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>yīzhí</em> zài zhè jiā gōngsī gōngzuò ma? </span><span class="trans">Have you always worked in this company? </span>
* <em>一直</em> 在 现在 的 公司 里 工作。<span class="trans">I've always worked at this company.</span>
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* 你们 <em>一直</em> 住 在 一起 吗? <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen <em>yīzhí</em> zhù zài yīqǐ ma? </span><span class="trans">Have you always been living together? </span>
* 从 这里 <em>一直</em> 走,十 五 分钟 后 你 会 看 到 一 个 大 公园。<span class="trans">Keep walking straight from here, after 15 minutes you will see a big park. </span>
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* 北京 的 空气 <em>一直</em> 很 不 好。 <span class="pinyin">Běijīng de kōngqì <em>yīzhí</em> hěn bù hǎo.</span><span class="trans">The air in Beijing has been bad for a while.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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*[["Since the beginning" with "yixiang"]]
 
*[["Since the beginning" with "yixiang"]]
 
*[[Comparing "yizhi" and "yixiang"]]
 
*[[Comparing "yizhi" and "yixiang"]]
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== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
  
 
=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
*[[现代汉语八百词(增订本)]] (pp. 610) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1 →buy]
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{{Source|现代汉语八百词(增订本)|610}}
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1]] (pp. 308-9) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1|308-9}}
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{{Source|Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)|123}}
  
 
=== Dictionaries ===
 
=== Dictionaries ===
* [[现代汉语词典(第5版)]] (pp. 1601) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1 →buy]
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* [[现代汉语词典(第5版)]] (p. 1601) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1 →buy]
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|一直|A2|Subject + 一直 + Predicate|我 <em>一直</em> 在 现在 的 公司 工作。|grammar point|ASGP000J}}
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
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{{Basic Grammar|一直|A2|Subj. + 一直 + Predicate|我 <em>一直</em> 在 现在 的 公司 工作。|grammar point|ASGP000J}}
 
{{Similar|"Always" with "zongshi"}}   
 
{{Similar|"Always" with "zongshi"}}   
 
{{Similar|"Since the beginning" with "yixiang"}}
 
{{Similar|"Since the beginning" with "yixiang"}}
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{{POS|Adverbs}}
 
{{POS|Adverbs}}
 
{{Translation|always}}
 
{{Translation|always}}
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{{Translation|all along}}

Latest revision as of 09:20, 2 April 2019

一直 (yīzhí) literally means "straight." Used as an adverb, 一直 (yīzhí) can also be used to express that you have been doing something all along, have been continuously doing something since a certain time, or that something will continuously happen in the future.

Structure

This structure expresses the continuous nature of an action or a circumstance.

Subj. + 一直 + Predicate

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

Examples

  • 一直 在 学习 中文 。 yīzhí zài xuéxí Zhōngwén.I've been studying Chinese all along.
  • 昨天 晚上 我 一直 在 做作业。 Zuótiān wǎnshang wǒ yīzhí zài zuò zuòyè.Yesterday evening I was continuously doing homework.
  • 老板 一直 很 忙 。"Always" is more natural than "continuously." Lǎobǎn yīzhí hěn máng.The boss is always very busy.
  • 一直 很 喜欢 你。 yīzhí hěn xǐhuan nǐ.I've always liked you a lot.
  • 爸爸 一直 都 不 抽烟。 Bàba yīzhí dōu bù chōuyān.Dad has never smoked cigarettes.
  • 我 男朋友 一直在 中国 教 英文。 Wǒ nánpéngyou yīzhí zài Zhōngguó jiāo Yīngwén.My boyfriend has always been teaching English in China.
  • 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.
  • 一直 在 这 家 公司 工作 吗? yīzhí zài zhè jiā gōngsī gōngzuò ma? Have you always worked in this company?
  • 你们 一直 住 在 一起 吗? Nǐmen yīzhí zhù zài yīqǐ ma? Have you always been living together?
  • 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.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries