Chinese word

从来不

Pronunciation

Pinyincóng lái bù

Meaning

  • adverbnever

Example

他从来不喝酒。tā cóng lái bù hē jiǔ

He never drinks alcohol.

Illustration for 从来不 (never)

More examples

他从来不抱怨工作。tā cóng lái bú bào yuàn gōng zuò

He never complains about work.

Core concept

A record with zero instances of one action across an entire span reaching the present.

Common phrases

  • 从来不抱怨cóng lái bú bào yuàn

    never complain

  • 从来不后悔cóng lái bú hòu huǐ

    never regret

  • 从来不放弃cóng lái bú fàng qì

    never give up

Similar words

从不cóng bù: Shows a regular habit of never doing an action over a long time.
从来没有cóng lái méi yǒu: States that something has not happened even once from the past until now.
从未cóng wèi: Formally states that something has never happened at any point in the past.
一向不yí xiàng bù: Shows an unchanged tendency not to do an action.

Definition in Chinese

用于表示习惯性或一贯性的否定，指某人或某事自过去到现在始终不发生或不进行某种行为。yòng yú biǎo shì xí guàn xìng huò yí guàn xìng de fǒu dìng zhǐ mǒu rén huò mǒu shì zì guò qù dào xiàn zài shǐ zhōng bù fā shēng huò bú jìn xíng móu zhǒng xíng wéi

Word origin

从来不 (cóngláibù, "never") is a transparent combination of 从来 (cónglái, "from the past until now") and 不 (bù, "not"), so a time span and its negative outcome appear together.

Usage tips

  • The form describes a pattern of nonperformance, not inability, so it does not by itself say that the subject cannot perform the action.

Other meanings

  • not at alladverb

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word