本来 běnlái originally
originally; at first
How to remember 本来: 本 source + 来 come = originally.
Characters
How it is used
- 'Originally / in the first place' - states how things were or were supposed to be, often before a change - 我本来想去，后来没去 (wǒ běnlái xiǎng qù, hòulái méi qù) I originally wanted to go, but didn't.
- Also 'of course / naturally': 本来就应该这样 (běnlái jiù yīnggāi zhèyàng) it should be this way to begin with.
- Close to 原来 (yuánlái), but 原来 often adds a discovery 'so it turns out…'; 本来 stresses the initial state or what was rightly expected.
Example sentences
- 我本来想走的，但后来忘了。 Wǒ běnlái xiǎng zǒu de, dàn hòulái wàng le.I intended to go, but forgot to.
- 本来这间房间里没有家具。 Běnlái zhè jiān fángjiān lǐ méiyǒu jiājù.The room originally had no furniture.
- 杜先生本来只想和她做朋友。 Dù xiānsheng běnlái zhǐ xiǎng hé tā zuò péngyou.Mr. Du originally just wanted to be friends with her.