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从来 (cóng lái) — always, all along (in affirmative sentences, often with 都); never (in negative sentences with 没 or 不)

Definition

From 来 meaning 'from the past until now', so 从来 emphasizes 'all along / never' from the start of time up to now. Pairs with 都 in affirmatives; with 没/不 in negatives. 总是 means 'always' as a habit; 从未/从不 are stronger, more formal 'never'.

adverb
alwaysall along (in affirmative sentences, often with 都)never (in negative sentences with 没 or 不)

Examples

  • 从来。
    Tā cóng lái dōu hěn yǒu nài xīn.
    He has always been very patient.
  • 从来。
    Wǒ cóng lái méi chī guò zhè zhǒng shuǐ guǒ.
    I have never eaten this kind of fruit.
  • 。
    Tā cóng lái bù chí dào.
    She is never late.

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.

从cóngfrom
来láicome

The parts '从' and '来' combine 'from' and 'come', so it means from then until now.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 從; 从 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
从
从cóng從cóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 從 pairs 辵 (walk) with 从, which gives the sound; the character was originally written 从.

Open 从 →

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 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 4500 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 2.0 Level 41000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsFrequency & Duration2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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