原来
HSK 4 (exam 2025)HSK 2 (2021)Old HSK 4
原来 (yuánlái) · originally
原来 (yuánlái) means “originally; so it turns out; original”. It is written with 2 characters: 原 (source) + 来 (to come). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 原来 is built
The characters
原 yuán · source
What 原 is made of
- 厂chǎng — cliff
- 泉quán — spring
Origin hint: 厂 gives the meaning, 泉 gives the sound. (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
原来是你！Yuánlái shì nǐ!So it's you!
他原来住在北京。Tā yuánlái zhù zài Běijīng.He originally lived in Beijing.
Questions about 原来
What does 原来 mean?
原来 (yuánlái) means “originally; so it turns out; original”.
How do you pronounce 原来?
原来 is pronounced yuánlái.
Which HSK level is 原来?
原来 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021) and Old HSK 4.
Related words
- 原因yuányīnreason
- 原料yuánliàoraw material
- 原则yuánzéprinciple
- 原谅yuánliàngto forgive
- 还原huányuánto restore
- 平原píngyuánplain
- 原告yuángàoplaintiff
- 原理yuánlǐprinciple
- 原始yuánshǐoriginal
- 原先yuánxiānoriginally
Learn 原来 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 67: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.