本来

běn lái

HSK 2.0 Level 4 HSK 3.0 Level 4 Adjective Very common

Definitions

1. original
2. originally
3. at first
4. it goes without saying
5. of course

Word relationships

Related words

2 items

• 原先 yuán xiān 原先 yuán xiān originally Both indicate a previous state, but 原先 is more about a past condition, while 本来 emphasizes inherent nature.: originally
• 天生 tiān shēng 天生 tiān shēng nature 天生 means 'innate', while 本来 means 'original' or 'inherent', sharing a nuance of intrinsic quality.: nature

Synonyms

1 item

• 原来 yuán lái 原来 yuán lái original Both can mean 'originally' or 'at first', but 本来 also implies 'of course' or 'it goes without saying'.: original

Usage notes

Common mistakes

Avoid using 本来 to mean 'originally' in the past tense without context; use 原来 to describe discovering a past fact, e.g., 原来是你！

Formality

In formal writing, 本来 is preferred over 原来 when stating a self-evident truth, e.g., 本来就是这样。

Example Sentences

2 shown

本来 就不应该那样做。

It shouldn't have been done that way in the first place.

本来 嘛!

Source: Tatoeba.org (ID 3349290)

Sentence data courtesy of Tatoeba.org. AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Words Containing 本来

• 本来面目 本来面目 běn lái miàn mù: true colors

Child Words of 本来

• 来 来 lái: to come
• 本 本 běn: root