Chinese Grammar Guide: The Difference Between ” Běnlái ” and “Yuánlái” (HSK 3-4 / TOCFL Band B)

Běnlái
HSK 3-4 / TOCFL Band B

Grammar: The Difference Between 本來 (běnlái) and 原來 (yuánlái)

Grammar Analysis:
1. 「原來」和「本來」都可以用來表示「以前的、以前的情況」，但重點不同。
"Yuánlái" hé "běnlái" dōu kěyǐ yòng lái biǎoshì "yǐqián de, yǐqián de qíngkuàng", dàn zhòngdiǎn bùtóng.
Both "yuánlái" and "běnlái" can be used to indicate "former situation" or "previously." They have different emphases.
「原來」表示時間上的以前的/以前某一時期。而「本來」則強調「計劃中的」。
"Yuánlái" biǎoshì shíjiān shàng de yǐqián de / yǐqián mǒu yì shíqī. Ér "běnlái" zé qiángdiào "jìhuà zhōng de".
"Yuánlái" refers to a previous time or period. "Běnlái" emphasizes something that was "planned."
2. 「原來」表達「意料之外的事情」。例如：發現了以前不知道的事情，或者我們沒想到的事情。
"Yuánlái" biǎodá "yìliào zhī wài de shìqíng", lìrú fāxiàn le yǐqián bù zhīdào de shìqíng, huòzhě wǒmen méi xiǎngdào de shìqíng.
"Yuánlái" expresses "unexpected matters." This includes discovering something previously unknown or something you had not thought of.

Examples

I. Using "Yuánlái"
他中文說得這麼好，我現在才知道原來他的媽媽是中國人。
Tā Zhōngwén shuō de zhème hǎo, wǒ xiànzài cái zhīdào yuánlái tā de māma shì Zhōngguórén.
He speaks Chinese so well. I only now found out that his mother is Chinese.
我的電腦放在桌上怎麼突然不見了，原來是你拿走了。
Wǒ de diànnǎo fàng zài zhuō shàng zěnme tūrán bújiàn le, yuánlái shì nǐ ná zǒu le.
My computer was on the desk. How did it suddenly disappear? It turns out you took it.
II. "Yuánlái" vs. "Běnlái"
他原來的那個女朋友姓李，現在的女朋友姓張。
Tā yuánlái de nàge nǚpéngyǒu xìng Lǐ, xiànzài de nǚpéngyǒu xìng Zhāng.
His former girlfriend was surnamed Li. His current girlfriend is surnamed Zhang.
這家店原來的老闆是法國人，做的東西很好吃。
Zhè jiā diàn yuánlái de lǎobǎn shì Fǎguórén, zuò de dōngxī hěn hǎochī.
The original owner of this shop was French. The things he made were delicious.
我本來計畫畢業後出國，但媽媽突然生病了，所以我一直留在國內。
Wǒ běnlái jìhuà bìyè hòu chūguó, dàn māma tūrán shēngbìng le, suǒyǐ wǒ yìzhí liú zài guónèi.
I originally planned to go abroad after graduation. My mother suddenly fell ill. Therefore I have stayed in the country.
公司本來打算派我去德國出差，但我拒絕了。
Gōngsī běnlái dǎsuàn pài wǒ qù Déguó chūchāi, dàn wǒ jùjué le.
The company originally intended to send me to Germany on a business trip. I refused.
III. When "běnlái" lacks "intentionality" and only expresses "previously", it is the same as "yuánlái".
原來/本來這裡沒有住什麼人，現在變成了一個大城市。
Yuánlái/Běnlái zhèlǐ méiyǒu zhù shénme rén, xiànzài biànchéng le yí gè dà chéngshì.
Originally not many people lived here. Now it has become a large city.
人們原來/本來想看書都會去圖書館，現在有越來越多的人看電子書，很少人去圖書館看書了。
Rénmen yuánlái/běnlái xiǎng kànshū dōu huì qù túshūguǎn, xiànzài yǒu yuè lái yuè duō de rén kàn diànzǐshū, hěn shǎo rén qù túshūguǎn kànshū le.
People used to go to the library when they wanted to read. Now more and more people read e-books. Few people go to the library to read.
Friend你們家這隻狗好可愛喔！你們家還有養其他動物嗎？
Péngyǒu: Nǐmen jiā zhè zhī gǒu hǎo kě'ài ō! Nǐmen jiā hái yǒu yǎng qítā dòngwù ma?
Friend: Your dog is so cute! Do you have any other animals?
Me本來/原來還有一隻貓，可是牠去年走了。
Wǒ: Běnlái/Yuánlái hái yǒu yì zhī māo, kěshì tā qùnián zǒu le.
Me: We originally had a cat too. It passed away last year.

Exercises

Meeting a friend
A跟你介紹一位朋友，他是 John，現在在 xx 公司工作。
A: Gēn nǐ jièshào yí wèi péngyǒu, tā shì John, xiànzài zài xx gōngsī gōngzuò.
A: Let me introduce a friend to you. He is John. He currently works at XX company.
B啊！我聽他說過你的名字， 你就是 John! 很高興認識你！
B: A! Wǒ tīng tā shuōguò nǐ de míngzì, [yuánlái] nǐ jiùshì John! Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ!
B: Ah! I heard him mention your name. ________ you are John! Nice to meet you!
John我也很高興認識你！
John: Wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ!
John: Nice to meet you too!
Chatting at school
A你今天怎麼來學校的？
A: Nǐ jīntiān zěnme lái xuéxiào de?
A: How did you come to school today?
B我今天坐公車來的。
B: Wǒ jīntiān zuò gōngchē lái de.
B: I took the bus today.
A為什麼呀？你平常不是走路來嗎？
A: Wèishénme ya? Nǐ píngcháng búshì zǒulù lái ma?
A: Why? Don't you usually walk here?
B對啊！但是今天下大雨，我 ，後來覺得雨太大了，決定坐公車。
B: Duì a! Dànshì jīntiān xià dàyǔ, wǒ [běnlái xiǎng zǒulù de], hòulái juédé yǔ tài dà le, juédìng zuò gōngchē.
B: Yes! It rained heavily today. I ________. Later I felt the rain was too heavy. I decided to take the bus.
Chatting
A你是哪一年出生的？
A: Nǐ shì nǎ yì nián chūshēng de?
A: What year were you born?
B我是 2002 年出生的，屬馬。
B: Wǒ shì èr líng líng èr nián chūshēng de, shǔ mǎ.
B: I was born in 2002. My Chinese zodiac sign is the Horse.
A 你屬馬啊！我以為你屬猴。
A: [Yuánlái] nǐ shǔ mǎ a! Wǒ yǐwéi nǐ shǔ hóu.
A: ________ your sign is the Horse! I thought you were a Monkey.
B哈哈！沒有那麼年輕啦！
B: Hāhā! Méiyǒu nàme niánqīng la!
B: Haha! I am not that young!
At the station
A你們兩個是一起來的嗎？
A: Nǐmen liǎng gè shì yìqǐ lái de ma?
A: Did you two come here together?
B不是，我們剛剛在這裡遇到的。
B: Búshì, wǒmen gānggāng zài zhèlǐ yùdào de.
B: No. We just met here.
A是嗎？！你們看起來像認識很久的朋友。
A: Shì ma?! Nǐmen kàn qǐlái xiàng rènshi hěn jiǔ de péngyǒu.
A: Really?! You look like friends who have known each other for a long time.
B真的嗎？我們 ，後來聊了一下就熟了。
B: Zhēnde ma? Wǒmen [yuánlái bú rènshì], hòulái liáo le yíxià jiù shóu le.
B: Really? We ________. Later we chatted a bit and became familiar.
At the house entrance
Friend你們家好漂亮！
Péngyǒu: Nǐmen jiā hǎo piàoliang!
Friend: Your house is so beautiful!
Me（我們家） ，我們去年花了很多錢弄的。
Wǒ: (Wǒmen jiā) [yuánlái méiyǒu zhème piàoliang], wǒmen qùnián huā le hěnduō qián nòng de.
Me: Our house ________. We spent a lot of money renovating it last year.
Friend 是這樣！不過弄得很好呢！
Péngyǒu: [Yuánlái] shì zhèyàng! Búguò nòng de hěn hǎo ne!
Friend: ________ that is why! You did a great job!
Me謝謝！我也很喜歡這個設計。
Wǒ: Xièxiè! Wǒ yě hěn xǐhuān zhège shèjì.
Me: Thank you! I also really like this design.

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