Chinese Conversation · Level 25
90 words
Chinese word
原来
Pronunciation
Pinyinyuán lái
Meaning
- adverboriginally
Example
他原来住在这里。tā yuán lái zhù zài zhè lǐ
He lived here originally.
More examples
小时候他原来住在农村。xiǎo shí hòu tā yuán lái zhù zài nóng cūn
As a child, he originally lived in the countryside.
Core concept
The past state of a situation is brought forward to explain what is understood now.
Common phrases
原来住在yuán lái zhù zài
originally live in
Similar words
本来běn lái: Describes the original state or inherent nature of something.
其实qí shí: Points out the actual facts beneath a surface impression.
Definition in Chinese
表示说话者或听者突然发现或确认某事，常用来引出新的信息，也可表示事情本来如此，属于副词。biǎo shì shuō huà zhě huò tīng zhě tū rán fā xiàn huò què rèn mǒu shì cháng yòng lái yǐn chū xīn de xìn xī yě kě biǎo shì shì qíng běn lái rú cǐ shǔ yú fù cí
Word origin
原来 (yuánlái, "originally") is formed from 原 (yuán, "original") and 来 (lái, "come"), linking the earlier state of something with its later discovery.
Usage tips
- When translating, preserve the change in knowledge, not just the time reference, because the same word can point to a fact that was true all along.
Other meanings
- in factadverb
- in the first placeadverb
- so that's how it isinterjection
Opposites
- 后来hòu láilater onadverb
Related words
- 原来如此yuán lái rú cǐnow I understandidiom