Expressing "always" with "从来"

他 从来都 这样。
- He's always like this.
她 从来都 这么晚睡。
- She's always gone to bed so late.
他说话 从来都 很大声。
- He's always spoken very loudly.
我们学校的学生 从来都 只能穿校服。
- Students in our school can only wear school uniforms.
成功 从来都 要靠自己努力。
- Success always depends on working hard by oneself.
我们下棋，从来都是 他赢。
- He always wins when we play chess.
她买衣服 从来都是 只买名牌。
- She always buys brand-name clothes when she goes shopping.
我 从来都是 一个人住，已经习惯了。
- I've always lived alone; I'm used to it already.

Level: B1 / HSK4
Similar to
Used for: Referring to the past, Expressing frequency
Keywords: 是, 来, 都, 从, 从来

Although perhaps more often used in the negative to mean "never," 从来 (cónglái) can be used with 都 (dōu) to mean "always" or "have always (done)."

Without the negative adverbs 不 and 没, 从来 takes on the meaning of "always." (Literally, 从来 means something like "from the beginning," although no one is really thinking that phrase when they use it.) When used in the positive, though, it is customary to put the adverb 都 after 从来.

Structure

Subj. + 从来 + 都 (是) + Predicate

The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective. It's also quite common to follow 从来都 with an additional 是 for emphasis.

Examples

他 从来都 这样。
- He's always like this.
她 从来都 这么晚睡。
- She's always gone to bed so late.
他说话 从来都 很大声。
- He's always spoken very loudly.
我们学校的学生 从来都 只能穿校服。
- Students in our school can only wear school uniforms.
成功 从来都 要靠自己努力。
- Success always depends on working hard by oneself.
我们下棋，从来都是 他赢。
- He always wins when we play chess.
她买衣服 从来都是 只买名牌。
- She always buys brand-name clothes when she goes shopping.
我 从来都是 一个人住，已经习惯了。
- I've always lived alone; I'm used to it already.

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites

Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Usage of 从来

6.4 KiB Raw Blame History Unescape Escape