We have found that some of the most popular posts are those which help you navigate the usage of common Mandarin words and phrases and the differences between words with similar meanings. （ Chinese classes for kids: https://www.lingobus.com/ ） Today is an example of this kind of post. We hope it’s helpful! 从来 (cónglái) and 向来 (xiànglái) are two frequency words that express continuity – something that has always previously been (done) or, when used in the negative, something that has never previously been (done).
Their usages are practically the same and both are pretty handy in conversational Mandarin, as you’ll see below: A From
airplane
Reader’s
向
taking
off Digest (xiànglái)
来
Use 向 来 to mean “always” or in the negative, adding 不 or 没 to mean “never” or “have never” respectively. Examples: Wǒ 我 I
xiànglái
向 have
Tā
他 He
向 has
来 always
xiànglái 来
hàipà
害
很 always
怕
afraid
hěn
huì
会 been
讨
been
fēixíng.
飞
价 excellent
行
of
还 at
。 flying.
tǎojiàhuánjià.
价 。 bargaining.
Nǐ
你 You
向 have
Tā
她 She Tā 他 He
xiànglái
向
来 has
来 never
Tā
dōu
穿
méi
帮 given
chuān
piányí
便 wears
朋 friend
péngyǒu. 友 to
bāngzhùguò 助 me
宜
过
的 cheap
我
any
聪
always
de 衣
。 me. w ǒ. 。 help.
yīfú.
服
。 clothes.
来 has
h ǎo
好 great
xiànglái
向
de
的 a
bu 不
没
她 She
wǒ
我 been
都 never
xiànglái 向
来 是 always
xiànglái
shì
cōngmíng. 明 been
。 smart.
(cónglái) 从 来 is almost always used in the negative to mean “never” or “have never”, though 从来 you might occasionally hear it used to mean “always”: Examples: Tā
cónglái
他 He
从
来 never
Wǒ
cónglái
dōu 都
bù
不 goes
去
méi
我 从 来 没 I’ve never eaten chicken’s feet before.
吃
qù
健 to chīguò 过
jiànshēnfáng.
身 the
jī 鸡
房
。 gym.
zhuǎ.
爪
。