从来
HSK 4 (exam 2025)HSK 3 (2021)Old HSK 4
从来 (cónglái) · always
从来 (cónglái) means “always; never (with 不/没)”. It is written with 2 characters: 从 (from) + 来 (to come). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 从来 is built
The characters
从 cóng · from
What 从 is made of
- 人rén — person
- 人rén — person
Origin hint: One person 人 following another (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
来 lái · to come
What 来 is made of
- 未wèi — not yet
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 木mù — tree
- 十 — ten
- 八bā — eight
- 丷ha — kwukyel
- 丶 — dot
Origin hint: A wheat plant that has not yet borne fruit; compare 來 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
他从来不喝酒。Tā cónglái bù hē jiǔ.He never drinks alcohol.
我从来没去过长城。Wǒ cónglái méi qù guo Chángchéng.I have never been to the Great Wall.
Questions about 从来
What does 从来 mean?
从来 (cónglái) means “always; never (with 不/没)”.
How do you pronounce 从来?
从来 is pronounced cónglái.
Which HSK level is 从来?
从来 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 3 (2021) and Old HSK 4.
Related words
- 从小cóngxiǎofrom childhood
- 从前cóngqiánbefore
- 从事cóngshìto work in
- 自从zìcóngsince
- 从此cóngcǐfrom then on
- 从而cóng'érthus
- 从容cóngróngcalm
- 服从fúcóngto obey
- 从中cóngzhōngfrom it
- 从cóngfrom
Learn 从来 with its group
It is part of HSK 3 (2021) · Group 19: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.