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

 
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
Expressing "all along" with 一直 (yīzhí) is not complicated. Character for character, it literally means "one straight," and is similar to 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>
  
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.
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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.
 
 
Also note that although 一直 (yīzhí) means "continuously," it's 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="expl">("Always" is more natural than "continuously.")</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yīzhí</em> hěn máng.</span> <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="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>
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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="pinyin"><em>yīzhí</em> hěn xǐhuan Shànghǎi.</span> <span class="trans">She has always liked Shanghai a lot.</span>
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* 老板 <em>一直</em> 很 <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="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yīzhí</em> hěn ài !</span> <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 .</span><span class="trans">I've always liked you a lot.</span>
*你 会 <em>一直</em> 学 中文 吗 ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ hùi <em>yīzhí</em> xué Zhōngwén ma?</span> <span class="trans">Will you always continue 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="pinyin">Wǒ <em>yīzhí</em> xiǎng zài Zhōnggúo zùo lǎoshī.</span> <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 早上 七点 到 晚上 十点 <em>一直</em> 在 工作 。 <span class="pinyin">Cóng zǎoshang qīdiǎn dào wǎnshang shídiǎn, <em>yīzhí</em> zài gōngzùo.</span> <span class="trans">From 7:00 in the morning till 10:00 in the evening, I am continuously working.</span>
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*18 岁 以后 <em>一直</em> 一个人 住。 <span class="pinyin">Shíbā suì yǐhòu, <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="pinyin">18 sùi yǐhòu, tā <em>yīzhí</em> yīgèrén zhù.</span> <span class="trans">Since he was 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"><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="pinyin"><em>yīzhí</em> zài xiànzài de gōngsī lǐ gōngzùo.</span> <span class="trans">I've always worked at this company.</span>
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* 你们 <em>一直</em> 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 , 你 会 看 到 一 个 大 公园 。 <span class="pinyin">Cóng zhèlǐ <em>yīzhí</em> zǒu, nǐ hùi kān dào yī gè dà gōngyuán.</span> <span class="trans">From here keep walking straight, 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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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
*[[现代汉语八百词(增订本)]] (p. 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}}
*[[Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)]] (p. 123) [http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ →buy]
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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 ===
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[[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