originally; at first
HSK level
本来 is written with 12 strokes (本: 5, 来: 7). The animation replays automatically.
本来 (běnlái) is an adverb meaning 'originally,' 'at first,' or 'in the first place.'
It marks how a situation stood before a change, and it usually implies a contrast with what happened later: 我本来想去，后来没去 ('I originally wanted to go, but later didn't'). Beyond 'originally,' 本来 carries a second flavor English 'originally' lacks: 'as a matter of course / that's just how it is,' as in 本来就应该这样 ('it should be this way to begin with'), often with a note of it being obvious or justified.
It can also function loosely as an attributive meaning 'inherent/original' (本来的样子, 'its original appearance'). English speakers should note the strong expectation of a follow-up clause describing what changed, and the frequent pairing with 就 for emphasis.
Note: Common in both speech and writing. In casual speech it often carries a tone of mild complaint or 'as it should be,' which the neutral English 'originally' does not fully capture.
Character by character
Memory hook: 本 (root/origin) + 来 (from): coming from the root — how things were originally.
我本来想早点睡，可是有太多作业。
Wǒ běnlái xiǎng zǎodiǎn shuì, kěshì yǒu tài duō zuòyè.
I originally wanted to sleep early, but there was too much homework.
spoken
这件事本来就不怪你。
Zhè jiàn shì běnlái jiù bù guài nǐ.
This wasn't your fault to begin with.
spoken
他本来是老师，后来去做生意了。
Tā běnlái shì lǎoshī, hòulái qù zuò shēngyì le.
He was originally a teacher, then later went into business.
neutral
计划本来定在周五，现在改到下周。
Jìhuà běnlái dìng zài zhōuwǔ, xiànzài gǎi dào xiàzhōu.
The plan was originally set for Friday; now it's moved to next week.
neutral
原来 can mean 'originally' too, but it also means 'so it turns out (a realization)' — 原来是你！('oh, it's you!'). 本来 lacks that surprise-of-discovery sense and leans toward 'the way it was before a change.'
起初 ('at the beginning') is more written and purely temporal. 本来 adds the flavor of 'as it naturally should be' and is common in casual speech.
原来 often signals a sudden realization ('so THAT's why...'), a meaning 本来 never carries. Use 本来 only for 'originally / at first,' not for expressing that you just figured something out.
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