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?"

Used as "Originally"

Here 原来 (yuánlái) means "originally" or "original."

Structure

原来 + 的 + Noun

Subj. + 原来 + [Verb Phrase]

Examples

  • 原来 的 发型 很 可爱。 yuánlái de fàxíng hěn kě'ài.Your original hairstyle was very cute.
  • 这 件 衣服 原来 的 价格 是 999 块。Zhè jiàn yīfu yuánlái de jiàgé shì 999 kuài.The original price is 999 RMB.
  • 原来 不 知道 这 件 事, 是 我 刚刚 跟 他 说 的 。 yuánlái bù zhīdào zhè jiàn shì, shì wǒ gānggāng gēn tā shuō de.Originally he didn't know about this. I just told him.
  • 我们 原来 住 在 浦东 , 几个月 以前 搬 到 了 这边 。 Wǒmen yuánlái zhù zài Pǔdōng, jǐ gè yuè yǐqián bān dào le zhèbiān.Originally we lived in Pudong. We moved here a few months ago.
  • 原来 是 他 的 中文 老师,现在 是 他 老婆。 yuánlái shì tā de Zhōngwén lǎoshī, xiànzài shì tā lǎopo.She was originally his Chinese teacher. She is now his wife.

Used as "All along"

Structure

原来 + [New Information]

Examples

  • 原来 是 你 !Yuánlái shì nǐ!So it was you all along!
  • 原来 你们 认识 !Yuánlái nǐmen rènshi! So you've known each other this whole time!
  • 原来 他 是 你 前男友 !Yuánlái tā shì nǐ qián nányǒu!It turns out he was you ex-boyfriend!
  • 原来 你 这么 有钱!Yuánlái nǐ zhème yǒuqián!It turns out you are so rich!
  • 原来 你 在 骗 我 ! 我 怎么 那么 傻 ? Yuánlái nǐ zài piàn wǒ! Wǒ zěnme nàme shǎ?You have been tricking me, how could I be so stupid?

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?"

See also

Sources and further reading

Books