The adverbs 原来, 本来 and 原本
The adverbs 原来, 本来 and 原本 have a similar meaning of “originally” and some additional meanings that differ from each other.
The same meaning
The adverbs 原来 
, 本来 , and 原本 are used when you want to say that a situation originally should have been a certain way.
We use 原来 to emphasize that the situation is still the same as it was before.
We use 本来 and 原本 to emphasize that the situation has changed. They both are often used before the construction 是…的 .
In a sentence, we state these adverbs before the predicate.
, 本来 , and 原本 are used when you want to say that a situation originally should have been a certain way.
We use 原来 to emphasize that the situation is still the same as it was before.
We use 本来 and 原本 to emphasize that the situation has changed. They both are often used before the construction 是…的 .
In a sentence, we state these adverbs before the predicate.Examples
我本来是要去参加你的生日派对的，可是周末突然要加班
I was supposed to go to your birthday party, but I suddenly had to work overttime on the weekend
wǒ běnlái shì yào qù cānjiā nǐ de shēngrì pàiduì de, kěshì zhōumò tūrán yào jiābān
我原来非常瘦
I used to be very thin
wǒ yuánlái fēicháng shòu
这件衣服原本是买给我弟弟的，可是他穿有点小
This outfit was originally bought for my brother, but it was too small for him
zhè jiàn yīfu yuánběn shì mài gěi wǒ dìdi de, kěshì tā chuān yǒudiǎn xiǎo
We also may use 原来, 本来 and 原本 as adjectives and place them before a noun. They should be followed by the particle 的 .
.Examples
本来的颜色变了
The original color has changed
běnlái de yánsè biàn le
他还住在原来的地方
He still lives in the same place
tā hái zhù zài yuánlái de dìfāng
他原本的死刑被减成终身监禁
His original death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment
tā yuánběn de sǐxíng bèi jiǎn chéng zhōngshēn jiānjìn
Other meanings of 本来
本来 is also used to mean “it should be”. Since there is no real English equivalent, we can use 本来 to express an opinion or suggestion, emphasizing the tone.
It is usually followed by the adverb 就 .
.Scheme
subject
本来
就
predicate
Pay attention
We can also state an adjective or a modal verb after 就:
应该
得
要
会
得
要
会 Examples
我们本来就不用跟他说这个
In fact, we shouldn't have spoken to him like that
wǒmen běnlái jiù bú yòng gēn tā shuō zhè ge
这里的东西本来就应该卖得便宜些
Things here should have been cheaper
zhèlǐ de dōngxi běnlái jiù yīnggāi mài de piányi xiē
生活本来就很不容易
Life is not easy in the first place
shēnghuó běnlái jiù hěn bù róngyì
We can use 本来 to express a pause before a statement.
It is followed by the particle 嘛 or 么
or 么 Examples
本来嘛，人非圣贤，孰能无过？
First of all, no one is a saint, and everyone can make a mistake
běnlái ma, rén fēi shèngxián, shú néng wúguò
The other meaning of 原来
原来 can have the meaning of “it turns out that”. The speaker is surprised by something he didn't know before.
In this case we should state 原来 at the beginning of a sentence.
Examples
原来他们住在 一起，怪不得他们常常一起上下班
It turns out they live together, no wonder they often commute to work together
yuánlái tāmen zhù zài yìqǐ, guàibùdé tāmen chángcháng yìqǐ shàng xiàbān
原来她是我姐姐的朋友
It turns out she's my sister's friend
yuánlái tā shì wǒ jiějie de péngyou
Other meanings of 原本
We can use 原本 as a noun with the meaning of “original document”.
Examples
文件的原本
The original document
wénjiàn de yuánběn
画像的原本
The original portrait
huàxiàng de yuánběn
原本 can also be a noun with the meaning of “essence” or “origin”.
Examples
唯知通道者，能原本之
Only those who know Daoism can understand the essence of things
wéi zhī tōngdào zhě, néng yuánběn zhī
得其原本
to get to the original
dé qí yuánběn
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