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.

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

  • 老板 一直 很 忙 。("Always" is more natural than "continuously.") Lǎobǎn yīzhí hěn máng. The boss is 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 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 Chinese in China.
  • 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.
  • 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?
  • 一直 走 , 你 会 看 到 一 个 公园。 Yīzhí zǒu, nǐ huì kàn dào yī gè gōngyuán. Walk straight and you will see a park.
  • 你们 一直 住 在 一起 吗? Nǐmen yīzhí zhù zài yīqǐ ma? Have you always been living together?

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries