原来 yuánlái▶ Original

Stroke order

原来 is written in 17 strokes across 2 characters.

• 原 — 10 strokes
• 来 — 7 strokes

Senses

1. original; former
2. originally; formerly; at first
3. so, actually, as it turns out

Related words

• 从来Siempre
• 原因razón
• 原谅Perdonar
• 将来futuro
• 本来originalmente
• 来自Venir de, proceder de

原来 is pronounced yuánlái and means “Original”. HSK 4 places it in the Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi, the standardised measure of Chinese proficiency. There is a real difference between having seen 原来 and being able to use it, and cramming a list flatters the first while doing little for the second. LexiTrail shows you the word again at the point your recall of it is about to lapse.