Files
zh-grammar/docs/allsetlearning/B2/一向.md
T
2026-03-20 15:52:00 +07:00

6.5 KiB
Raw Blame History

Expressing "since the beginning" with "一向"

  • 小王 一向 上班 很 早,这次 是 怎么了?
    • Xiao Wang has always started work very early. What happened this time?
  • 我 一向 不 喜欢 点 外卖。
    • I have never liked ordering takeout.
  • 妈妈 一向 支持 我 的 决定。
    • Mom has always supported my decisions.
  • 他 一向 是 个 好 学生,怎么 可能 会 作弊 呢?
    • He's always been a good student, why would he possibly cheat?
  • 中国人 一向 把 红色 视为 吉祥 喜庆 的 颜色。
    • Chinese people have always considered red to be a lucky and joyous color.
  • 云南 的 雨季 一向 来 得 很 突然。
    • Yunnan's rainy season always comes suddenly.
  • 他 的 态度 一向 很 认真。
    • His attitude has always been very serious.
  • 我 一向 都 是 这样 做,没 问题 的。
    • I always do it like this. It's no problem.
  • 中国 的 经济 一直 都 在 快速 发展 。
    • China's economy has been continuously developing rapidly.
  • 他 一直 都 在 学 汉语.
    • He's been studying Mandarin all this time.
  • 你 打算 一直 在 上海 工作 吗 ?
    • Do you plan to work in Shanghai indefinitely?

一向 (yīxiàng) means "always," but is generally used to express a habit, attitude, or convention which has continued for a long period of time until the present. When you use 一向, you're conveying a sense that "it's always been this way."

Structure

Subj. + 一向 + Habit / Attitude / etc.

Examples

  • 小王 一向 上班 很 早,这次 是 怎么了?
    • Xiao Wang has always started work very early. What happened this time?
  • 我 一向 不 喜欢 点 外卖。
    • I have never liked ordering takeout.
  • 妈妈 一向 支持 我 的 决定。
    • Mom has always supported my decisions.
  • 他 一向 是 个 好 学生,怎么 可能 会 作弊 呢?
    • He's always been a good student, why would he possibly cheat?
  • 中国人 一向 把 红色 视为 吉祥 喜庆 的 颜色。
    • Chinese people have always considered red to be a lucky and joyous color.
  • 云南 的 雨季 一向 来 得 很 突然。
    • Yunnan's rainy season always comes suddenly.
  • 他 的 态度 一向 很 认真。
    • His attitude has always been very serious.
  • 我 一向 都 是 这样 做,没 问题 的。
    • I always do it like this. It's no problem.

Incorrect Usage

一向 cannot be used with verbs involving changes or actions. In this case, 一直 should be used:

  • 中国 的 经济 一向 都 在 快速 发展 。
    • It must have started developing at some point.
  • 中国 的 经济 一直 都 在 快速 发展 。
    • China's economy has been continuously developing rapidly.
  • 他 一向 都 在 学 汉语.
    • He must have started, right?
  • 他 一直 都 在 学 汉语.
    • He's been studying Mandarin all this time.

一向 indicates that a certain state has continued until the present. It cannot be used to express actions in the future. Again, 一直 can be used instead:

  • 你 打算 一向 在 上海 工作 吗 ?
  • 你 打算 一直 在 上海 工作 吗 ?
    • Do you plan to work in Shanghai indefinitely?

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites