从来 cóng lái
“always; at all times; never (if used in negative sentence)”
adverbHSK 4 · 2021 list level 3Traditional 從來
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
从来 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 1103: 从来 cónglái — Level 4; official annotation 4 (副). PDF page 107
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 从来
从来 means "from the beginning until now" and is most common in negative sentences with 不 or 没 to mean "never". The typical patterns are 从来不 + verb or 从来没(有) + verb, and 从来 comes before the verb or adjective. Affirmative uses describe a constant state and often include 都 or 就 (从来都/从来就), though fixed expressions such as 从来如此 can omit them.
例句Example sentences
- 我从来不喝咖啡。wǒ cóng lái bù hē kā fēi.I never drink coffee.
- 他从来没去过北京。tā cóng lái méi qù guò běi jīng.He has never been to Beijing.
- 她从来不吃早饭。tā cóng lái bù chī zǎo fàn.She never eats breakfast.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗我从来见过他。
✓我从来没见过他。
In the "never" sense, 从来 must be paired with a negative word such as 没 or 不.
-
✗他喝从来不咖啡。
✓他从来不喝咖啡。
从来 is an adverb, so it goes before the verb, not after it.