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

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原来 (yuánlái) means "originally" (similar to 本来) or "former". It can also mean "all along", and can be used to indicate a sudden realization of something previously unknown, a bit like "so it's been like that all along, how could I not have realized?".
 
原来 (yuánlái) means "originally" (similar to 本来) or "former". It can also mean "all along", and can be used to indicate a sudden realization of something previously unknown, a bit like "so it's been like that all along, how could I not have realized?".

Revision as of 05:08, 26 November 2013

原来 (yuánlái) means "originally" (similar to 本来) or "former". It can also mean "all along", and can be used to indicate a sudden realization of something previously unknown, a bit like "so it's been like that all along, how could I not have realized?".

原来 as "all along"

Structure

原来 + [recently discovered information]

Here 原来 means "all along".

Examples

  • 原来 你 一直 在 骗 我,我 怎么 那么 傻?You have been tricking me this whole time, how could I be so stupid?
  • 原来 是 你!我 都 没 认出来!So it was you after all! I never imagined it.
  • A: 我们 以前 是 同学,我 当然 认识 他。 B: 哦,原来 是 这样 啊!A: We used to be classmates, of course I recognize you. B:Oh, so that's how!
  • 原来 你 什么 都 不 懂,为什么 还 说 自己 是 个 博士?It turns out you don't know anything. Why are you still calling yourself a doctor?

The more formal expression 原来如此 can be used like 原来是这样 in example 3, to mean "oh, so it's like that is it?"

原来 as "originally"

Structure

原来 + Noun/Adjective/[verb phrase]

Here 原来 means "originally" or "former".

Examples

  • 原来 的 发型 很 可爱, 剪 了 太 可惜 了!Your original hairstyle was very cute. It's a shame that you cut it.
  • 我 发誓 我 原来 什么 都 不 知道,她 今早 才 告诉 我 这个 消息。I swear: I didn't originally know anything about it. She just told me this news this morning.
  • 原来 科学家 以为 激光 没有 多大 用处,可 它 却 成为 了 20 世纪 最 重要 的 发明 之一。Originally, scientists didn't think lasers had much use, but it is one of the 20th century's most important inventions.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books