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[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)

Similar to

- [Expressing "always" with "zongshi"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22always%22_with_%22zongshi%22) (A2) - [Expressing "never" with "conglai"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22never%22_with_%22conglai%22) (A2) - [Using "always" as a complaint with "laoshi"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Using_%22always%22_as_a_complaint_with_%22laoshi%22) (B1) - [Expressing "always previously" with "xianglai"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22always_previously%22_with_%22xianglai%22) (C1)

Used for

[Expressing frequency](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_frequency), [Referring to the past](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Referring_to_the_past)

Keywords

[从来](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BB%8E%E6%9D%A5), [都](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E9%83%BD), [从](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BB%8E), [来](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%9D%A5)

Translations

[always](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Always)

[![Chinese-grammar-wiki－conglai.jpg](Expressing%20%22always%22%20with%20%22conglai%22%20-%20Chinese%20Grammar%20Wiki_fichiers/300px-Chinese-grammar-wikiconglai.jpg "fig:Chinese-grammar-wiki－conglai.jpg"){width="300" height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki%EF%BC%8Dconglai.jpg)

Although perhaps more often used in the negative to mean "[never](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Never)," 从来 (cónglái) can be used with [都](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E9%83%BD) (dōu) to mean "always" or "have always (done)."

Contents -------- [hide]([# "wikilink")\]

- [1 Structure](#Structure "wikilink") - [2 Examples](#Examples "wikilink") - [3 See Also](#See_Also "wikilink") - [4 Sources and further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink") - [4.1 Books](#Books "wikilink") - [4.2 Websites](#Websites "wikilink")

Structure --------------------------------------------------------- Without the negative adverbs 不 and 没, 从来 takes on the meaning of "always." (Literally, 从来 means something like "from the beginning," although no one is really thinking that phrase when they use it.) When used in the positive, though, it is customary to put the adverb 都 after 从来.

Subj. + 从来 + 都 + Predicate

The [predicate](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Predicate) part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective. Examples -------------------------------------------------------

- 他 *从来都* 这样。Tā *cónglái dōu* zhèyàng.He's always like this. - 她 *从来都* 这么晚睡。Tā *cónglái dōu* zhème wǎn shuì.She's always gone to bed so late. - 他说话 *从来都* 很大声。Tā shuōhuà *cónglái dōu* hěn dàshēng.He's always spoken very loudly. - 她买衣服 *从来都* 只买名牌。Tā mǎi yīfu *cónglái dōu* zhǐ mǎi míngpái.She always buys brand-name clothes when she goes shopping. - 这个国家的女孩 *从来都* 很早结婚。Zhège guójiā de nǚhái *cónglái dōu* hěn zǎo jiéhūn.Girls in this country always get married at a very young age. - 我们学校的学生 *从来都* 只能穿校服。Wǒmen xuéxiào de xuéshēng *cónglái dōu* zhǐ néng chuān xiàofú.Students in our school can only wear school uniforms. - 我们下棋，*从来都* 是他赢。Wǒmen xiàqí, *cónglái dōu* shì tā yíng.He always wins when we play chess. - 我 *从来都* 一个人住，已经习惯了。Wǒ *cónglái dōu* yīgèrén zhù, yǐjīng xíguàn le.I've always lived alone; I'm used to it already. - 成功 *从来都* 要靠自己努力。Chénggōng *cónglái dōu* yào kào zìjǐ nǔlì.Success always depends on working hard by oneself.

See Also ------------------------------------------------------- - ["Never" with "conglai"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22Never%22_with_%22conglai%22) - ["Always" as a complaint with "laoshi"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22Always%22_as_a_complaint_with_%22laoshi%22) - ["Always" with "zongshi"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22Always%22_with_%22zongshi%22) Sources and further reading --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Books - [现代汉语八百词](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D) (pp. 132) [→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001198GSW&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001198GSW) - [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_2) (pp. 59) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2ftpILV) - [New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_4_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC4)) (pp. 121) [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192) ### Websites - Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [Usage of 从来](http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0119.html) \

[Category](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories): - [B1 grammar points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)

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