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ChineseGrammarWiki


			
				
					
						
						
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<p>If something was originally a certain way, or "should be" a
certain way, the Chinese words used are often 本来 (běnlái) and 原来
(yuánlái). 本来 (běnlái) is usually an adverb while 原来 (yuánlái)
could be either and adjective or an adverb. However, they are used
in different ways and different circumstances, so this article will
help you distinguish when and where to use them.</p>
<h2 id="situations-only-using-本来">Situations only using 本来</h2>
<h3 id="本来-as-an-adverb-often-requires-就-for-emphasis">本来 as an
adverb often requires 就 for emphasis</h3>
<p>本来 is used when something is common sense. There are certain
expectations for the speaker and listener. Since there is no real
English equivalent, it is best translated as "it goes without
saying." It can also be translated to "supposed to," following it
with a certain expectation.</p>
<h4 id="structure">Structure</h4>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 本来 + 就 + 很 / 不 + Adj.</p>
<p>Subj. + 本来 + 就 + 会 / 要 / 得 / 应该 + Verb</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>生活<em>本来</em> 就 很 不 容易。<span class="trans">Life isn't supposed
to be very easy.</span></li>
<li>搬家 <em>本来</em>就 很 麻烦。<span class="trans">Moving is supposed to
be very troublesome.</span></li>
<li>照顾 孩子<em>本来</em> 就 是 父母 的 责任。<span class="trans">Taking care of
children is supposed to be the responsibility of
parents.</span></li>
<li>老师<em>本来</em>就 应该 好好 备课。<span class="trans">Teachers are
supposed to prepare their lessons well.</span></li>
<li>美国 人 <em>本来</em>就 会 说 流利 的 英文。<span class="trans">Americans are
supposed to speak fluent English.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="using-本来是-expresses-a-change-of-plans">Using 本来是 expresses
a change of plans</h3>
<p>If something happened unexpectedly later, 本来 is preferred rather
than 原来 considering there is a change of the original situation. 本来
means "originally." Since the action has already happened, the
pattern 是⋯⋯的 is suggested here. 是 is optional.</p>
<h4 id="structure-1">Structure</h4>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 本来 + 是 +（不）要 / 会 / 应该 + Verb + 的，但是 / 可是⋯⋯</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples-1">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>我<em>本来</em> 是 要 去 参加 你的 生日 派对 的，可是 周末 突然 要 加班。<span class=
"trans">I was originally going to go to your birthday party, but I
had to work some extra time this weekend.</span></li>
<li>他<em>本来</em>是 应该 考 得 更 好 的，可是 那天 他 生病 了。<span class="trans">He
would have done better on the test, but he was sick that
day.</span></li>
<li>我们<em>本来</em> 不 打算 去 的，后来 因为 他们 打 了 好 几次 电话 就 去 了。<span class=
"trans">We didn't plan to go, but we went in the end because they
called us several times.</span></li>
<li>这些 工作<em>本来</em> 可以 明天 做 的，不过 如果 你 想 今天 做 完 也 可以。<span class=
"trans">This work doesn't need to be done by today. But if you want
to finish it sooner, you can.</span></li>
<li>我<em>本来</em>是 要 跟 他 结婚 的，可是 后来 发现 了 我们 真的 不 合适。<span class=
"trans">I was originally going to marry him, but then I found that
we are just not meant for each other.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="using-本来就-to-stress-the-tone">Using 本来就 to stress the
tone</h3>
<p>If you've got an opinion to express after stating how it "should
be" or "should not be," then 本来就 will help you sound more
convincing. The end of the sentence usually has an imperative or
rhetorical question that leads to an opinion or suggestion,
emphasizing the tone.</p>
<h4 id="structure-2">Structure</h4>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 本来 + 就 ＋ ⋯⋯</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples-2">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>你<em>本来</em> 就 够 瘦 了 ，还要 减肥 吗？<span class="trans">You are
already thin enough and you still want to lose weight?</span></li>
<li>他 讲 得<em>本来</em>就 不 对，为什么 还 要 我 听 他 的？<span class="trans">What
he said was wrong all along, so why do you still want me to listen
to what he says?</span></li>
<li>他<em>本来</em>就 不 是 个 好 人，你 怎么 还要 帮他？<span class="trans">He was
never a good person. Why do you still want to help him?</span></li>
<li>她<em>本来</em>就 不 喜欢你，你 别 再 追 她 了。<span class="trans">She never
liked you in the first place, so stop going after her.</span></li>
<li>他说话的方式<em>本来</em>就 很 容易 让人 不 舒服，你 别 介意。<span class="trans">The
way he tends to speak can easily make people uncomfortable, so
don't take it personally.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="situations-only-using-原来">Situations only using 原来</h2>
<h3 id="using-原来-expresses-it-turned-out">Using 原来 expresses “It
turned out”</h3>
<p>原来 is more used to emphasize what you accidentally find out or
realize in a situation. 原来 means that the unexpected happened. It's
similar to "as it turns out⋯⋯" For this usage, "原来" is normally
located at the beginning of the sentence.</p>
<p>The most two useful patterns are as follows:</p>
<h4 id="structure-3">Structure</h4>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>原来 + 是 + [Fact / Truth / Reason / Purpose]</p>
<p>怪不得 + [Observation / Situation]，原来 + 原来 + 是（因为 / 为了 / 想⋯⋯）</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples-3">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li><em>原来</em> 是 你 啊！我 刚才 真 没 看 出来。<span class="trans">It is you!
I didn't recognize you until just now.</span></li>
<li><em>原来</em> 是 这 样 啊，那 是 我 做错 了。<span class="trans">Oh, that's
it. I was doing it wrong all along.</span></li>
<li><em>怪不得</em> 你 中文 说 得 这么 好，<em>原来</em>你 在 中国 住 了 三十 多
年。<span class="trans">No wonder your Chinese is so good. You lived
in China for more than 30 years.</span></li>
<li><em>原来</em> 他们 住 在 一起，怪不得 他们 常常 一起 上 下班。<span class=
"trans">They are living with each other. No wonder they often come
to work and leave work together.</span></li>
<li><em>怪不得</em> 总是 对 他 那么 好，<em>原来</em> 你 一直 都 喜欢 他.<span class=
"trans">No wonder you treat him so well. You've had feelings for
him the whole time.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="use-原来-as-an-adjective-to-mean-previous-or-former">Use 原来
as an Adjective to Mean "Previous" or "Former"</h3>
<h4 id="structure-4">Structure</h4>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>原来的 + Noun</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples-4">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>这是 我 <em>原来</em> 的 家。<span class="trans">This is my old
house.</span></li>
<li>他 <em>原来</em> 的 公司 关门 了。<span class="trans">His former company
closed down.</span></li>
<li>你们 <em>原来</em> 的 看法 不 是 这 样 的。<span class="trans">This is not
how you previously thought about it.</span></li>
<li>我 现在 的 男朋友 比 <em>原来</em> 的 男朋友 帅 多了。<span class="trans">My
current boyfriend is a lot cuter than my ex.</span></li>
<li>你 <em>原来</em> 的 头发 那么 黑，现在 白 了 很 多。<span class="trans">Your
hair was so black before, but now it's become a lot
whiter.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further
reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href=
"Chinese_Grammar_-_Broken_down_into_100_items_-_Basic_and_Intermediate_Levels_(%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95%E7%99%BE%E9%A1%B9%E8%AE%B2%E7%BB%83_-_%E5%88%9D%E4%B8%AD%E7%BA%A7)"
title="wikilink">Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items -
Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级)</a> (pp. 94-6)
<a href=
"http://www.amazon.cn/gp/product/B004WA6JSQ/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-23&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=536&amp;creative=3132&amp;creativeASIN=B004WA6JSQ">
→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1" title=
"wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1</a> (pp. 195-6)
<a href=
"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=0887276792">
→buy</a></li>
<li><a href=
"New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_5_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC5)"
title="wikilink">New Practical Chinese Reader 5 (新实用汉语课本5)</a> (pp.
29)<a href=
"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561914083/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=7561914083">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href=
"Short-term_Spoken_Chinese:_Elementary_(%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%8F%A3%E8%AF%AD%E9%80%9F%E6%88%90%E5%9F%BA%E7%A1%80%E7%AF%87)"
title="wikilink">Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary
(汉语口语速成基础篇)</a> (pp. 22-23) <a href=
"http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00326U9MS/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=B00326U9MS">
→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="Category:_B2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category:
B2 grammar points</a> <a href="Category:grammar_comparison" title=
"wikilink">Category:grammar comparison</a></p>
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