Definition
早已 (zǎo yǐ) means 'long since' or 'already a long time ago' — it emphasizes that something was completed or true well before a reference time, with a sense of 'much earlier than expected'. It is stronger and more emphatic than 已经 (yǐ jīng 'already'), which simply states completion without the 'long ago' nuance. 早已 is more formal and literary than 已经.
adverb
long sincefor a long time (already done before a certain before a reference time)
Examples
- 早已。Tā zǎo yǐ bǎ fàn chī le.He had already eaten long ago.
- 早已。Wǒ zǎo yǐ zhīdào dá'àn le.I had known the answer long ago.
- 早已。Wǒmen zǎo yǐ zhǔnbèi hǎo le suǒyǒu dōngxi.We had prepared everything long ago.
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