原来

yuánlái

Meaning

原来 has several uses: 1. Noun — “the past”, “formerly”. 2. Adjective — “original”, “former”. 3. Adverb — “formerly” (things have changed). 4. Adverb — “it turns out”, “so…” (realising something new).

1. 原来 as a noun

坐(Zuò)火(huǒ)车(chē)从(cóng)北(Běi)京(jīng)到(dào)上(Shàng)海(hǎi)，原(yuán)来(lái)最(zuì)快(kuài)差(chà)不(bu)多(duō)需(xū)要(yào)十(shí)二(èr)个(gè)小(xiǎo)时(shí)，现(xiàn)在(zài)有(yǒu)了(le)高(gāo)铁(tiě)，五(wǔ)个(gè)小(xiǎo)时(shí)就(jiù)能(néng)到(dào)。

The fastest train from Beijing to Shanghai used to take nearly twelve hours; now, with high-speed rail, it takes five.

2. 原来 as an adjective

原来的 + Noun

按(Àn)原(yuán)来(lái)的(de)计(jì)划(huà)应(yīng)该(gāi)是(shì)两(liǎng)周(zhōu)，但(dàn)是(shì)我(wǒ)们(men)可(kě)以(yǐ)提(tí)前(qián)完(wán)成(chéng)。

According to the original plan it should take two weeks, but we can finish early.

3. 原来 as an adverb (formerly)

她(Tā)原(yuán)来(lái)是(shì)汉(Hàn)语(yǔ)老(lǎo)师(shī)，现(xiàn)在(zài)已(yǐ)经(jīng)成(chéng)了(le)一(yī)名(míng)律(lǜ)师(shī)。

She used to be a Chinese teacher; now she's a lawyer.

4. 原来 as an adverb (realisation)

Shows the speaker discovering something they didn't know. 原来 can go before or after the subject.

马(Mǎ)克(kè)一(yī)直(zhí)等(děng)李(Lǐ)明(Míng)回(huí)电(diàn)话(huà)，可(kě)是(shì)电(diàn)话(huà)一(yī)晚(wǎn)上(shang)都(dōu)没(méi)来(lái)，原(yuán)来(lái)李(Lǐ)明(Míng)把(bǎ)马(Mǎ)克(kè)的(de)电(diàn)话(huà)号(hào)码(mǎ)记(jì)错(cuò)了(le)。

Mark waited all evening for Li Ming's call, but it never came — it turned out Li Ming had written his number down wrong.

原来 vs. 本来

原(Yuán)来(lái)你(nǐ)会(huì)说(shuō)中(Zhōng)文(wén)！

So you can speak Chinese!

我(Wǒ)本(běn)来(lái)想(xiǎng)去(qù)。

I originally wanted to go.

原来 → a former situation, or a newly discovered fact. 本来 → the original plan, or what ought to have been.