xưa rày

Từ xưa rày, ông bà vẫn sống trong ngôi nhà nhỏ ấy.

Definition

1. Adverbial phrase:
   • From long ago until now / all this time: Refers to a continuous period extending from a distant past up to the present moment. It emphasizes the duration and continuity of a situation, state, or habit.

Usage Examples

• Adverbial phrase:
  • Xưa rày tôi chưa từng thấy chuyện như vậy. (I have never seen such a thing all this time.)
  • Ông ấy xưa rày vẫn sống ở ngôi nhà này. (He has been living in this house from long ago until now.)
  • Xưa rày nó vốn là người rất trung thực. (He has always been a very honest person all along.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used to introduce a statement about a longstanding truth or consistent observation. It sets a temporal frame that underscores the reliability or permanence of the fact being stated.

Variants and Related Words

• Xưa nay (adverbial phrase): From the past until now; traditionally. This is a direct synonym and more commonly used.
  • Xưa nay anh ấy vẫn luôn đáng tin. (He has always been trustworthy.)

Synonyms

• All along: For the entire period of time until now.
• Traditionally: In a way that is based on long-established customs or practices.
• From time immemorial: For a very long time, since the distant past.

Related Idioms

• While "xưa rày" itself functions as an adverbial phrase, it is sometimes used in proverbial structures to contrast past consistency with a present change.
  • Xưa rày chưa từng có, nay bỗng dưng xảy ra. (Such a thing never happened before, but now it suddenly occurs.)