原来 (yuán lái) — original in Mandarin
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#664 most common word · HSK 4 · CEFR B2
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
原来 is pronounced yuán lái. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Yuán lái nǐ yě zài zhèlǐ.
Oh, you're here too.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 原来 mean?+
原来 (yuán lái) means "original" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 原来?+
原来 is pronounced yuán lái. It uses the tone 2 (rising). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 原来 in Mandarin?+
原来 is the #664 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Where 原来 fits
Every HSK 4 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.
Words at a similar frequency
Master the tones first
What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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