Dictionary🇨🇳 Chinese → 🇺🇸 English
原来
yuánlái
Description
"原来"有两个意思：一个是说事情本来的样子，另一个是我们忽然明白了以前不知道的事。
"原来" has two meanings: one is to describe the original state of something, the other is when we suddenly understand something previously unknown.
比如你终于知道了真相，就可以说"原来是这样"。
For example, when you finally learn the truth, you can say "原来是这样".
Meanings
原来yuánlái
as it turns out; so (sudden realization)
原来你也在这里！
So you were here too!
原来yuánlái
original; former; at first
这是我原来的房间。
This is my original room.
Related words
Notes
- Etymology
原 (origin) + 来 (come); literally "come from the origin," meaning the original state.
- Nuance
When expressing realization, 原来 shows surprise at newly understood truth; 本来 stresses "originally/should have."
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