The Meaning of jūrai [従来] In Japanese

従来
じゅうらい
Romaji: jūrai N2

What does 従来 mean?

Translation and Meaning

up to now, until now, conventional, traditional

Definition

従来 means up to now or as things have been established, used to refer to the existing state before a change or new development. It signals the baseline or status quo prior to adoption of new methods or ideas.

Type

noun, adverb (じゅうらい)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • conventional or traditional quality when describing methods, standards, or norms, especially in formal discourse
  • adverbial usage that frames statements as referring to the past state or the status quo
  • used to contrast with novel approaches, innovations, or future plans

Etymology

従 = to follow; 来 = to come; the compound is read jūrai using on’yomi; Sino-Japanese formation; phonetic evolution reflects combining two kanji to express a concept tied to progression toward the present.

Composition

  • 従: to follow, obey; 来: come; together they express a progression toward what has arrived up to the present, giving the sense of the current state

Usage

Used in formal or technical writing to describe the existing state, prior practices, or established norms; can introduce a contrast with new methods, policies, or innovations; typically appears with の to modify a noun (従来の). 従来の方法で検証を行う。今後は新しい手法を導入する予定だ。
💡 Tips
Follow + come mnemonic: picture 従 as following a guide and 来 as what has arrived; together they point to the state that has followed into the present.

Variations

  • これまで (kore made) – until now
  • 以前 (izen) – previously
  • 最新 (saishin) – latest (antonym)

Example Phrases

  • 従来、私は新しい方法を試しています。
    Jūrai, watashi wa atarashii hōhō o tameshite imasu.
    Up to now, I am trying a new method.
    Lista:
    • 従来 (jūrai) – up to now
    • 私 (watashi) – I
    • は (wa) – topic marker
    • 新しい (atarashii) – new
    • 方法 (hōhō) – method
    • を (o) – object marker
    • 試しています (tameshite imasu) – am trying
    従来 means ‘up to now’ or ‘traditionally’ and here it starts the sentence to set a time frame: 「従来」.
従来