Definition
想当初 is a fixed phrase used to introduce a reminiscence about the past, similar to 'I recall that...' or 'back when...' in English. It often contrasts the past situation with the present, carrying a tone of nostalgia or regret. The phrase is always placed at the beginning of a sentence or clause, and its POS is verb-like, functioning as the main predicate or introducing a clause.
v
to recall the pastto think back to
Examples
- 想当初，。xiǎng dāng, wǒ niánqīng de shíhou kě cónglái bù zhīdào lèi.Back when I was young, I never knew what it was like to be tired.
- 想当初。Tā zǒng ài gēn wǒmen shuō xiǎng dāng tā shì zěnme chuàngyè de.He always loves to tell us about how he started his business back then.
- 想当初，。xiǎng dāng, zhèlǐ hái shì yí piàn huāngdì.Back then, this place was still a barren wilderness.
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