本来
Chinese · HSK4 · original; originally; at first
original; originally; at first
我本来很想走走，但是天太热了。
I would like to take a walk, but the day is too hot.
本来 in real context
本来 is a HSK4-level word in Chinese meaning "original; originally; at first" in this vocabulary set. Every word on LangOria comes with a real example sentence, so you meet 本来 the way native speakers actually use it — not as an isolated dictionary entry, but inside a living Chinese sentence.
The example sentence for 本来 is: "我本来很想走走，但是天太热了。" (I would like to take a walk, but the day is too hot.). Learning 本来 through example sentences helps you internalize Chinese word order and collocations, so 本来 is ready the first time you actually need it.
Add 本来 to your HSK4 spaced-repetition review and it will resurface right before you are about to forget it — tomorrow, in three days, in a week. Combined with the rest of the Chinese HSK4 vocabulary set, a daily 45–65 minute loop is the fastest proven path from first exposure to confident, natural use of 本来.
About Chinese HSK4
HSK 4 is the upper-intermediate tier — 600 vocabulary words and the grammar needed to read Chinese newspapers, follow Chinese TV shows without subtitles, and discuss professional and cultural topics in Mandarin. HSK 4 is roughly equivalent to B2 in CEFR.
How to learn Chinese HSK4
HSK 4 takes 4-6 months on top of HSK 3. Continue reviewing HSK 1-3 (5-minute daily) and add 50-100 new HSK 4 words per week. Read Chinese news daily (BBC Chinese, Sixth Tone, SupChina), watch Chinese TV shows and movies with no subtitles, and try writing 500-1000 character pieces for correction. By the end of HSK 4 you should be able to work in a Mandarin-speaking environment.
Common questions about 本来 in Chinese
What level is 本来 in Chinese?
In LangOria's Chinese deck, 本来 sits at the HSK4 level of the language's recognized ability ladder (CEFR for most languages, JLPT for Japanese, HSK for Chinese). At this level you learn 本来 alongside the highest-frequency words you actually need.
How do I memorize 本来?
Rote repetition rarely sticks on its own. Learn 本来 inside its example sentence, say it out loud, and let spaced repetition bring it back at the right moments. The 45–65-minute daily loop is usually enough to anchor 本来 in long-term memory.
Where does the example for 本来 come from?
Every word — including 本来 — carries a real example drawn from the community-built Tatoeba sentence corpus: sentences written by native speakers, not synthetic textbook filler. That context is what makes 本来 memorable.
What should I learn after 本来?
Cover the remaining words at the HSK4 level, then move up. LangOria schedules spaced reviews and frequency-ordered decks, so 本来 reinforces the rest of your HSK4 Chinese vocabulary instead of standing alone.