Usages of yuánlái
原来 他 也 是 学 中文 的， 不过 水平 比 我 高 一点儿。Yuánlái tā yě shì xué zhōngwén de, búguò shuǐpíng bǐ wǒ gāo yìdiǎnr.
It turns out he also studies Chinese, but his level is a bit higher than mine.
我 以为 她 是 老师， 原来 她 是 来 参观 的 学生。Wǒ yǐwéi tā shì lǎoshī, yuánlái tā shì lái cānguān de xuéshēng.
I thought she was a teacher; it turns out she is a visiting student.
难怪 你 今天 这么 累， 原来 昨天 晚上 没 睡好。nánguài nǐ jīntiān zhème lèi, yuánlái zuótiān wǎnshang méi shuìhǎo.
No wonder you’re so tired today; it turns out you didn’t sleep well last night.
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Mandarin Chinese has four main tones plus a neutral tone. The same syllable can mean completely different things depending on the tone — for example, "mā" (mother), "má" (hemp), "mǎ" (horse), and "mà" (scold). Mastering tones is essential for being understood.
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