从来 (cónglái)
Although perhaps more often used in the negative to mean "never," 从来 (cónglái) can be used with 都 (dōu) to mean "always" or "have always (done)."
Contents
- Structure
- Examples
- See also
- Sources and further reading
- Books
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
Examples
- 我 从来 都 一个人 住，已经 习惯 了。
Wǒ cónglái dōu yīgèrén zhù, yǐjīng xíguàn le.
I have always lived alone; I'm used to it already.
- 她 从来 都 这么 自私 。
Tā cónglái dōu zhème zìsī.
She's always been this selfish.
- 我们 下棋，他从来 都 是 赢 的。
Wǒmen xiàqí, tā cónglái dōu shì yíng de.
He always wins when we play chess.
- 他 说话 从来 都 很 大声。
Tā shuōhuà cónglái dōu hěn dàshēng.
He always speaks very loudly.
- 她 找 男朋友 从来 都 是 要 长 得 帅 的。
Tā zhǎo nánpéngyou cónglái dōu shì yào zhǎo zhǎng de shuài de.
She always wants those good-looking guys when she looks for boyfriend.
- 他 工作 从来 都 很 努力。
Tā gōngzuò cónglái dōu hěn nǔlì.
He always works very hard.
- 我 的 学生 从来 都 这么 有自信。
Wǒ de xuéshēng cónglái dōu zhème yǒu zìxìn.
My students are always so confident.
- 他 的 电影 从来 都 是 最 受欢迎 的 。
Tā de diànyǐng cónglái dōu shì zuì shòuhuānyíng de.
His movies are always the most popular ones.
- 成功 从来 都 要 靠 自己 努力。
Chénggōng cónglái dōu yào kào zìjǐ nǔlì.
Success always depends on one's own efforts.
See Also
Sources and further reading
Books
- 现代汉语八百词(p.132)
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (p. 59)
- New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (p. 121)
Websites
Expressing "always" with "conglai"
(Redirected from ASG8KUHG)
Level B1
Similar to
Expressing "always" with "zongshi" (A2)
Expressing "never" with "conglai" (A2)
Using "always" as a complaint with "laoshi" (B1)
Expressing "always previously" with "xianglai" (C1)
Used for
Expressing frequency, Referring to the past
Keywords
从来, 都, 从, 来
Translations
always
Although perhaps more often used in the negative to mean "never," 从来 (cónglái) can be used with 都 (dōu) to mean "always" or "have always (done)."
Contents
1 Structure
2 Examples
3 See Also
4 Sources and further reading
4.1 Books
4.2 Websites
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 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"
"Always" as a complaint with "laoshi"
"Always" with "zongshi"
Sources and further reading
Books
现代汉语八百词 (pp. 132) →buy
Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2 (pp. 59) →buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 121) →buy
Websites
Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Usage of 从来