Meaning of 以往
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- in the past; formerly
How to use 以往
以往 is a more formal, written-style word for "in the past" and often appears in comparisons with the present, such as 比以往 (bǐ yǐwǎng) or 和以往一样 (hé yǐwǎng yíyàng). Example: 今年的游客比以往多。(Jīnnián de yóukè bǐ yǐwǎng duō.) There are more tourists this year than in the past.
以 (yǐ) marks a point of reference, and 往 (wǎng) means to go toward or the past, as in 往事 (wǎngshì) past events. Together 以往 points back to the time that has already gone by.
Common mistake: Learners often use 以往 like 以前 (yǐqián) after a clause, as in 吃饭以往. This is wrong. Only 以前 can mean "before (an event)", so say 吃饭以前. Also note that 往 is third tone (wǎng), not fourth.
以往 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
以 yǐ · to use · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
往 wǎng · to go · 8 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Related words
Words that share a character with 以往.
| 可以 | kěyǐ | can; may |
| 所以 | suǒyǐ | therefore; as a result |
| 以为 | yǐwéi | to think; to believe (often with the implication that the belief is mistaken – unless refe |
| 以前 | yǐqián | before; formerly |
| 以后 | yǐhòu | after; later |
| 以上 | yǐshàng | that level or higher; that amount or more; the above-mentioned |
| 以外 | yǐwài | apart from; other than |
| 以下 | yǐxià | that level or lower; that amount or less |
| 以来 | yǐlái | since (used after a specified time or event) |
| 前往 | qiánwǎng | to leave for; to proceed towards; to go to |
| 交往 | jiāowǎng | to associate (with); to have contact (with) |
| 往往 | wǎngwǎng | usually; in many cases |
Questions about 以往
What does 以往 mean?
以往 (yǐwǎng) means "in the past; formerly" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 以往?
以往 is made of 2 characters: 以 (4 strokes), 往 (8 strokes). That is 12 strokes in total.
Is 以往 an HSK word?
Yes. 以往 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 以往 and 以前?
Both can mean "in the past", but 以前 is more common in speech and can also follow a verb or time word to mean "before". 以往 is more formal and usually refers to a general past period, often contrasted with now.
How is 以往 used in the phrase 一如既往?
一如既往 (yì rú jì wǎng) uses 既往, a close relative of 以往, and means "just as before" or "as always". You can also say 和以往一样 (hé yǐwǎng yíyàng) in more everyday language with the same meaning.