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一直 (yī zhí) — always, continuously, all along; straight (ahead)

Definition

一直 is an adverb with two senses: continuously from start to finish (often with 都, like 'all along/always'), and 'straight ahead' as a direction. Compare 始终 (more formal, emphasizes the full span) and 不断 (highlights unbroken repetition).

adverb
alwayscontinuouslyall alongstraight (ahead)

Examples

  • 一直。
    Wǒ yī zhí dōu xiǎng qù kàn kàn cháng chéng.
    I've always wanted to go see the Great Wall.
  • 一直，。
    Qǐng yī zhí wǎng qián zǒu, nǐ huì kàn dào xué xiào.
    Please go straight ahead, and you will see the school.
  • 一直。
    Tā yī zhí zài jiā děng wǒ men.
    He has been waiting for us at home.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

一yīone
直zhístraight

一 adds the sense of all or one continuous span, and 直 means straight, giving continuously or straight ahead.

Characters in this word

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

一 is drawn as one horizontal stroke, marking the number one.

Open 一 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The earliest form of 直 pairs 目, an eye, with an unclear stroke 丨.

Open 直 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 3500 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 2.0 Level 31000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsFrequency & Duration2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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