原来 (yuánlái)
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?"
Contents
- Structure
- Examples
- See also
- Sources and further reading
- Books
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
- Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 94-6)
- Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 195-6)
- New Practical Chinese Reader 5 (新实用汉语课本5) (pp. 29)
- Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇) (pp. 22-23)
Expressing "all along" with "yuanlai"
(Redirected from ASGTKXFR)
Level B1
Similar to
Expressing "no wonder" (B1)
Comparing "benlai" and "yuanlai" (B2)
Expressing "originally" with "benlai" (B2)
Used for
Explaining, Justifying
Keywords
原来
Translations
all along, originally
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?"
Contents
1 Used as "Original" or "Originally"
1.1 Structure
1.2 Examples
2 Used as "All along"
2.1 Structure
2.2 Examples
3 See also
4 Sources and further reading
4.1 Books
Used as "Original" or "Originally"
Structure
原来 + 的 + Noun
Subj. + 原来 + Predicate
Examples
你 原来 的 发型 也 很 可爱 。
Nǐ yuánlái de fàxíng yě hěn kě'ài.
Your original hairstyle was also 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.
她们 原来 只是 邻居 ，现在 是 很好 的 朋友 。
Tāmen yuánlái zhǐ shì línjū, xiànzài shì hěn hǎo de péngyou.
Originally they were just neighbors. Now they're very good friends.
我们 原来 住 在 浦东 ，几 个 月 以前 搬 到 了 这里 。
Wǒmen yuánlái zhù zài Pǔdōng, jǐ gè yuè yǐqián bān dào le zhèlǐ.
Originally we lived in Pudong. We moved here a few months ago.
原来 她 是 他 的 中文 老师，现在 是 他 老婆 。
Yuánlái tā 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 both knew each other this whole time!
原来 是 这样 ！
Yuánlái shì zhèyàng!
Oh, so it's like that!
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 (yuánlái rúcǐ) can be used like 原来是这样 in example 3.
See also
Expressing "originally" with "benlai"
Expressing "no wonder"
Comparing "benlai" and "yuanlai"
Sources and further reading
Books
Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 94-6) [ →buy]
Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 195-6) →buy
New Practical Chinese Reader 5 (新实用汉语课本5) (pp. 29) →buy
Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇) (pp. 22-23) [ →buy]