Dictionary › 从来

从来

cóng lái

Old HSK 4 HSK 3.0 level 4 2-character word Traditional 從來

从来 (cóng lái) means "always; (in negative sentences) never". It is an HSK 3.0 level 4 word, and was HSK 4 in the old six-level list.

What 从来 means

1. always
2. at all times
3. never (if used in negative sentence)

How 从来 is used in grammar

从来 is a grammar word. Each link goes to its own section: what it does in that pattern, the structure, three example sentences with pinyin, and the mistake to avoid.

• Time Adverbs: 本来, 才, 曾经, 从来, 立刻 (HSK 3)

The official HSK 3.0 grammar outline lists it at level 4, adverbs (时间副词).

The characters in 从来

• 从cóngfrom; through; via; (bound form) to follow; (bound form) to obey
• 来láito come; (used as a substitute for a more specific verb)…

Example sentences

• 她从来没看过海
  Tā cóngláiméi kàn guo hǎi
  She has never seen the ocean.
• 我从来没乘坐船。
  Wǒ cóngláiméi chéngzuò chuán.
  I've never been on a ship.
• 我的钱从来不多。
  I never had much money.
• 萨米从来没那么说过
  Sà mǐ cóngláiméi nàme shuō guo
  Sami has never said it.
• 我从来没去过美洲。
  Wǒ cónglái méi qù guo Měizhōu.
  I have never been to America.
• 你从来吮了阴茎吗？
  Nǐ cónglái shǔn le yīnjīng ma?
  Have you ever sucked a penis?

Words starting with 从来

• 从来不cóng lái bùnever
• 从来没cóng lái méihave never; has never
• 从来没有cóng lái méi yǒuthere has never been; has never had; (before a verb) has never

Where 从来 is taught

In the GraphChinese course it is part of Modal & certainty adverbs (HSK 4), each one a topic in the dependency graph of HSK 1–6 that opens only once its prerequisites are solid.

Go deeper

• Every HSK 4 word, with the rest of its level.
• The four tones and the neutral tone, to read cóng lái correctly.
• Look up another word in the free dictionary.