Chinese–EnglishWith examples

从来

cóng lái · cong lai

Traditional 從來

HSK 3Old HSK 4

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. always
  2. at all times
  3. never (if used in negative sentence)
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In a conversation

0:22 cartoon

Stinky tofu

  1. Dengdeng

    亮亮(liàngliàng)，你(nǐ)吃(chī)过(guò)臭豆腐(chòudòufu)吗(ma)？

    Liangliang, have you ever eaten stinky tofu?

  2. Liangliang

    从来(cónglái)没有(méiyǒu)，太(tài)臭(chòu)了(le)。

    Never. It's too smelly.

  3. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)也(yě)从来(cónglái)不(bù)敢(gǎn)吃(chī)。

    I have never dared to eat it either.

  4. Liangliang

    老板(lǎobǎn)说(shuō)，闻(wén)起来(qǐlai)臭(chòu)，吃(chī)起来(qǐlai)香(xiāng)。

    The owner says it smells bad but tastes good.

  5. Dengdeng

    那(nà)你(nǐ)先(xiān)吃(chī)一口(yīkǒu)？

    Then you try a bite first?

  6. Liangliang

    嗯(ēn)？真(zhēn)好吃(hǎochī)！我(wǒ)从来(cónglái)不(bù)知道(zhīdào)它(tā)这么(zhème)香(xiāng)！

    Huh? It's really good! I never knew it was this tasty!

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

母(mǔ)亲(qīn)从(cóng)来(lái)没(méi)有(yǒu)因(yīn)为(wèi)我(wǒ)们(men)而(ér)不(bú)耐(nài)烦(fán)。

Mother is never impatient with us.

Tatoeba: Chinese by linzilyu · English by CN · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

我(wǒ)从(cóng)来(lái)没(méi)有(yǒu)看(kàn)到(dào)她(tā)笑(xiào)过(guò)。

I've never seen her laugh.

Tatoeba: Chinese by Debbie_Linder · English by Hybrid · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

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How to write

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

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从
cóng

from; through; via; (bound form) to follow

来
lái

to come; (used as a substitute for a more specific verb)

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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