TongTong
Sign in

长期以来 (cháng qī yǐ lái) — for a long time

Definition

A written phrase for 'for a long time,' usually placed at the start of a sentence to frame a continuing situation. More general than 多年来 ('for the past many years') and 近年来 ('in recent years'), which name a specific span.

phrase
for a long time

Examples

  • 长期以来，。
    cháng qī yǐ lái, Zhè ge guó jiā shí xíng le yán gé de huán bǎo zhèng cè.
    For a long time, this country has implemented strict environmental policies.
  • 长期以来。
    Zhè ge wèn tí cháng qī yǐ lái shòu dào yán jiū zhě de guān zhù.
    This problem has received attention from researchers for a long time the attention of researchers' attention.
  • 长期以来，。
    cháng qī yǐ lái, Rén men dōu zài tàn suǒ yǔ zhòu de ào mì.
    For a long time, people have been exploring the mysteries of the universe.

Origin

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 長; 长 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 長 pictures an old man with long hair. The simplified 长 is a later shorthand, so its strokes do not show that original picture.

Open 长 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rì
Sound part声符shēngfú
其
其qí期qī
Same sound today

The original form paired 其 for its sound with 日 (sun). A related form changed that sun to 月, and this later developed into 期.

Open 期 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape came from a drawing of a person carrying something; in 以, part of that person is still visible on the right.

Open 以 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 來; 来 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 來 shows a wheat plant: a central ear, upward leaves, and downward stem and roots. The simplified 来 is a later shorthand.

Open 来 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Frequency & Duration

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.