原来 yuán lái
“original; former; originally”
adverb, attributiveHSK 4 · 2021 list level 2Traditional 原來
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
原来 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 1900: 原来 yuánlái — Level 4; official annotation 4 (名、形、副). PDF page 127
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 原来
原来 can mean “originally” or “formerly,” describing what was true before a change; before a noun it usually takes 的 (原来的...) to mean “former/previous.” It is often contrasted with 现在 or 后来. It also commonly means “so / as it turns out” when the speaker discovers or realizes something, often at the start of a clause (原来你在这儿).
例句Example sentences
- 我原来住在北京，后来搬到上海了。wǒ yuán lái zhù zài běi jīng, hòu lái bān dào shàng hǎi le.I originally lived in Beijing, and later moved to Shanghai.
- 这是我原来的手机，现在不能用了。zhè shì wǒ yuán lái de shǒu jī, xiàn zài bù néng yòng le.This is my former phone; it doesn't work now.
- 原来你在这儿，我找了你半天。yuán lái nǐ zài zhèr, wǒ zhǎo le nǐ bàn tiān.So you're here—I've been looking for you for ages.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗他原来一个老师。
✓他原来是一个老师。
原来 is an adverb here, so a noun predicate still needs the verb 是.