Usage of 向来, 老是, 总是, 一直, 一向

[Altair]

向来: "has always been / done [something]" (no change from the start)

总是: "always is / does [something]" (refers to current state of affairs)

Examples:

他向来很认真 = "He's always been earnest"

他总是很认真 = "He's always earnest"

* Notice the different implication of the English translations.

As far as I understand these nuances, I think creamyhorror gave good information.

I think that 向来 points to a time period originating in the past and says that since that time, something is "always" true. You generally need to translate such uses with the an English perfect tense, since it means you are basing your statement on past observation. It means: "has/had always...."

总是 says that something is always true in general without any specification of time. It does not state why you know the statement to be true. It means: "is/was always...."

[wilhal_18]

@altair: yes, i agree. i think i can tell the difference between the zong shi and xianglai.

but now, i am very curious, how to say

"I will always love you" - this is related to the future. which one to use??

[skylee]

Consider 我會永遠愛你 or 我會一直愛着你。

[wilhal_18]

hi skylee,

can i use YI XIANG?

wo hui yixiang ai ni???

[creamyhorror]

can i use YI XIANG?

wo hui yixiang ai ni???

Nope, 一向 is limited to a range of time starting in the past and spanning to the present. It can't refer to a range of time spanning into the future. 一直 doesn't have such a limitation, so 我會一直愛(着)你 is fine. 我會永遠愛你 is even more common. For reference (the following basically states what I just did):

2、时态上有点区别，“一向”所说明的性质状态持续的时间只能涵盖至说话以前或到说话为止，因此，“一向”一般只用与过去时，基本意思相当于“过去一直”。

“一直”除可指过去外，还可以用来指过去到未来，现在到未来和未来到未来。如：这个试验，从现在（明天）开始要一直搞到月底才能完成。

@Altair: I generally agree with you.

[roddy]

@roddy: I think i may buy that book. it looks really good : )

That was just a random example I Googled up, there might be better options. But something along those lines will be very useful. Might also be worth looking for books designed for the old HSK‘s 综合 section, and whatever the new equivalent is.