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 "Originally"
Here 原来 (yuánlái) means "originally" or "original."
Structure
原来 + 的 + Noun
Subj. + 原来 + [Verb Phrase]
Examples
- 你 原来 的 发型 很 可爱。 Nǐ
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.
- 他 原来 不 知道 这 件 事， 是 我 刚刚 跟 他 说 的 。 Tā 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.
- 她 原来 是 他 的 中文 老师，现在 是 他 老婆。 Tā
yuánlái shì tā de Zhōngwén lǎoshī, xiànzài shì tā
lǎopo.She was originally his Chinese
teacher. She is now his wife.
原来 as "All along"
Structure
Here 原来 means "all along."
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
Category:
B1 grammar points