▎一向, yíxiàng, (Adv), all along, has always...

 

Function The adverb 一向 means ‘it has always been the case that’, referring to habits or aptitudes.

1 他一向很熱心，總是喜歡幫助人。

Tā yíxiàng hěn rèxīn, zǒngshì xǐhuān bāngzhù rén.

He has always been passionate and has always liked helping others.

2 他對自己的能力一向有自信，他不會放棄的。

Tā duì zìjǐ de nénglì yíxiàng yǒu zìxìn, tā bú huì fàngqì de.

He has always been confident in his abilities. He won’t give up.

3 這家公司一向重視品質。你可以放心買他們的產品。

Zhè jiā gōngsī yíxiàng zhòngshì pǐnzhí. Nǐ kěyǐ fàngxīn mǎi tāmen de chǎnpǐn.

This company has always attached a great deal of importance to quality. You can set your mind at ease when you buy their products.

4 他一向喜歡開玩笑，他說的話，都要打個折扣。

Tā yíxiàng xǐhuān kāiwánxiào, tā shuō de huà, dōu yào dǎ ge zhékòu.

He has always loved to joke around. You need to take what he says with a grain of salt.

5 他一向很照顧學生。不管學生碰到什麼問題，他都盡量幫忙。

Tā yíxiàng hěn zhàogù xuéshēng. Bùguǎn xuéshēng pèngdào shénme wèntí, tā dōu jìnliàng bāngmáng.

He has always looked after his students. No matter what problems they face, he does everything he can to help.

 

Usage

(1) Both 一向 and 一直yìzhì indicate the continuation of an action or a state from the past to the present. 一向, however, stresses something being habitual, while 一直 emphasizes continuation, without interruption. They are thus not always interchangeable.

E.g.,

1 他一向一放假就出國旅遊。（＊一直）

Tā yíxiàng yí fàngjià jiù chūguó lǚyóu. (＊yìzhí)

He always takes a trip overseas as soon as a holiday begins.

2 他一向不相信我說的話。 （??一直）

Tā yíxiàng bù xiāngxìn wǒ shuō de huà. (?? yìzhí)

He has never believed what I say. (Habitual)

3 她一向不聽別人的建議，你別再說了。（＊一直）

Tā yíxiàng bù tīng biérén de jiànyì, nǐ bié zài shuō le. (＊yìzhí)

She never accepts other people’s suggestions. Don’t waste your breath.

4 他旅行以前，一向先計畫好。（＊一直）

Tā lǚxíng yǐqián, yíxiàng xiān jìhuàhǎo. (＊yìzhí)

He always plans ahead before traveling.

(2) 一向 can only be used to describe something in the past, while 一直can be used to express something in the future.

E.g.,

1 他會一直陪著你走到學校。（＊一向）

Tā huì yìzhí péizhe nǐ zǒu dào xuéxiào. (＊yíxiàng)

He will walk with you all the way to school.

2 他從昨天到現在一直在等你電話。（＊一向）

Tā cóng zuótiān dào xiànzài yìzhí zài děng nǐ diànhuà. (＊yíxiàng)

He has been expecting your call since yesterday.

3 小孩感冒了。媽媽今天會一直在家照顧他。（＊一向）

Xiǎohái gǎnmào le. Māma jīntiān huì yìzhí zài jiā zhàogù tā. (＊yíxiàng)

The child had a cold, and his mother will stay at home today, looking after him.

4 你要一直提醒他，他才記得。（＊一向）

Nǐ yào yīzhí tíxǐng tā, tā cái jìde. (＊yíxiàng)

He will just forget it, if you don’t keep reminding him.