Lessons 15, 17, 26: All along, from beginning to end: 向来, 一向, 始终, 一直

Explanation

Structure

1. 1
   向来+V / Adj

   Indicates that something has been so from the past up to the present; placed before a verb or adjective as an adverbial.

   • 我这个人向来不爱运动。

     Wǒ zhège rén xiànglái bú ài yùndòng.

     I have never liked sports.

   • 她向来做事认真，从不马虎。

     Tā xiànglái zuòshì rènzhēn, cóng bù mǎhu.

     She has always been serious about her work and has never been careless.

   • 这个地方夏天向来就热。

     Zhège dìfang xiàtiān xiànglái jiù rè.

     It has always been hot here in summer.

   • 他这个人向来不喜欢喝酒。

     Tā zhège rén xiànglái bù xǐhuan hē jiǔ.

     He has never liked drinking.

2. 2
   一向+V / Adj

   From the past up to the present; used as an adverbial.

   • 他一向是个认真学习的好学生。

     Tā yíxiàng shì ge rènzhēn xuéxí de hǎo xuésheng.

     He has always been a good student who studies seriously.

   • 她一向喜欢体育运动。

     Tā yíxiàng xǐhuan tǐyù yùndòng.

     She has always liked sports.

   • 爸爸一向身体不错，不知道怎么突然病了。

     Bàba yíxiàng shēntǐ búcuò, bù zhīdào zěnme tūrán bìng le.

     Dad has always been in good health; I don't know why he suddenly fell ill.

   • 在学习上一向自信的我，经历了这次沉重的打击，对自己再也不敢有太多的自信了。

     Zài xuéxí shàng yíxiàng zìxìn de wǒ, jīnglìle zhè cì chénzhòng de dǎjī, duì zìjǐ zài yě bù gǎn yǒu tài duō de zìxìn le.

     I had always been confident in my studies, but after this heavy blow I no longer dared to have too much confidence in myself.

3. 3
   始终+不/没(有)+Vverb

   From beginning to end; “始终” is mostly used together with a negative form.

   • 我等了他一个上午，他始终没来。

     Wǒ děngle tā yí gè shàngwǔ, tā shǐzhōng méi lái.

     I waited for him all morning, and he still didn't come.

   • 我始终不明白他为什么这么对待我。

     Wǒ shǐzhōng bù míngbai tā wèishénme zhème duìdài wǒ.

     I still don't understand why he treats me like this.

   • 一年来，他始终坚持上课，所以，学得比别人都好。

     Yì nián lái, tā shǐzhōng jiānchí shàngkè, suǒyǐ, xué de bǐ biérén dōu hǎo.

     He has kept attending class all year, so he has learned better than everyone else.

   • 无论祝英台怎么暗示，但忠厚老实的梁山伯始终没有领悟她的意思。

     Wúlùn Zhù Yīngtái zěnme ànshì, dàn zhōnghòu lǎoshi de Liáng Shānbó shǐzhōng méiyǒu lǐngwù tā de yìsi.

     No matter how Zhu Yingtai hinted, the loyal and honest Liang Shanbo never understood what she meant.

   • 两个多月了，我始终没有看见过他。

     Liǎng gè duō yuè le, wǒ shǐzhōng méiyǒu kànjiànguo tā.

     It has been more than two months, and I still haven't seen him at all.

4. 4
   一直+V (+ 到 + thời gian) so với 始终

   In sentences with “始终”, “一直” can generally be substituted; however, “一直” can take words indicating time and can refer to the future, while “始终” cannot.

   • 两个多月了，我一直没有看见过他。

     Liǎng gè duō yuè le, wǒ yìzhí méiyǒu kànjiànguo tā.

     It has been more than two months, and I still haven't seen him.

   • 昨天晚上我一直工作到十二点。

     Zuótiān wǎnshang wǒ yìzhí gōngzuò dào shí'èr diǎn.

     Last night I worked until twelve o'clock.

   • 我要一直坚持学下去，实现自己当翻译的愿望。

     Wǒ yào yìzhí jiānchí xué xiàqù, shíxiàn zìjǐ dāng fānyì de yuànwàng.

     I will keep on studying to realize my dream of becoming an interpreter.