Writing
本来 (běnlái) — how to say "originally" in Chinese
本来
Originally, actually
adjective · time adverb
How to use it
Goes after the subject, before the verb.
我本来想去。
wǒ běn lái xiǎng qù
I originally wanted to go.
Character composition
本
root, original
来
to come
Radicals / Keys
木
Tree
#75 · mù · 4 strokes
Synonyms
Collocations
本来可以
běnlái kěyǐ
could have
本来想
běnlái xiǎng
originally wanted
Examples
他本来计划昨天出发，但是下雨了。
He originally planned to leave yesterday, but it rained.
我本来想去。
I originally wanted to go.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say "originally" in Chinese?
"originally" in Chinese is 本来 (běnlái).
本来 meaning in English
本来 (běnlái) means "Originally, actually".
How is 本来 pronounced?
It is pronounced běnlái (written as benlai). You can listen to the pronunciation on this page.
How do you write "originally" in Chinese characters?
It is written 本来: 本 has 5 strokes, 来 has 7 strokes. The Writing section above animates the stroke order of each character and lets you trace it.
What HSK level is 本来?
本来 belongs to the HSK 4 vocabulary list.
Tomyo
Learn Chinese words with spaced repetition
Add 本来 to your vocabulary and remember it with smart reviews, audio and examples.