Expressing "all along" with "yizhi"

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一直 (yīzhí) literally translates to "one straight." 一直 (yīzhí) can be used to express that you are doing something continuously, have been continuously doing something since a certain time, and something will continuously happen in the future.

Structure

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

Subject + 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 很 忙 。("Always" is more natural than "continuously.")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.
  • 一直 很 喜欢 上海 。 yīzhí hěn xǐhuan Shànghǎi. She has always liked Shanghai a lot.
  • 一直 很 爱 你 ! 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?
  • 一直 想 在 中国 做 老师 。 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.
  • 一直 在 现在 的 公司 里 工作 。 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.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries