# The use of 从 and 离

从 cóng from is used as a co-verb in sentences such as:

> 小 王 从 他家 来了这儿 。
> Xiǎo Wáng cóng tā jiā lái le zhèr
> Xiao Wang came here from his home.

离 lí from cannot be used in the same way, but is used to measure the distance between two objects. For instance,

A | 离 | B | SV
--- | --- | --- | ---
我 家 | 离 | 学 院 | 很 远。
wǒ jiā | lí | xuéyuàn | hěn yuǎn

My home is a long way from the college.

A | 离 | B | V + distance |
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
我 家 | 离 | 学 院 | 有 三 英 里。 |
wǒ jiā | lí | xuéyuàn | yǒu sān yīngliǐ |

It is three miles from my home to the college.

A | 离 | B | V + duration
--- | --- | --- | ---
我 家 | 离 | 学 院 | 走 路一个 小 时。
wǒ jiā | lí | xuéyuàn | zǒu lù yī ge xiǎoshí

It takes an hour to walk to the college from my home.

The 离lí construction can also be used to measure duration.

For example:

A | 离 | B | V + duration
--- | --- | --- | ---
现在 | 离 | 下 课 | 还有一刻钟。
xiànzài | lí | xiàkè | Háiyǒu yíkè zhōng

It is 15 minutes from now to the end of the class.

The co-verbs 从 cóng from and 到 dào to can also be used to measure distance and duration in the following sentence patterns.

从 | A | 到 | B
--- | --- | --- | ---
从 | 我 家 | 到 | 学 院
cóng | wǒ jiā | dào | xuéyuàn

My home is a long way from the college.

从 | A | 到 | B
--- | --- | --- | ---
从 | 我 家 | 到 | 学 院
cóng | wǒ jiā | dào | xuéyuàn

It is three miles from my home to the college.

从 | A | 到 | B | V + duration
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
从 | 我 家 | 到 | 学 院 | 走 路一 个 小 时。
cóng | wǒ jiā | dào | xuéyuàn | zǒu lù yī ge xiǎoshí

It takes an hour to walk to the college from my home.

从 | A | 到 | B | V + duration
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
从 | 现 在 | 到 | 下 课 | 还 有 一刻 钟。
cóng | Xiànzài | dào | xiàkè | háiyǒu yíkè zhōng

It is 15 minis between now and the end of the class.

Negation and question words are placed next to the main verbs or stative verbs expressing distance or duration as demonstrated below.

A | 离 | B | SV
--- | --- | --- | ---
我 家 | 离 | 学 院 | 远 吗?
wǒ jiā | lí | xuéyuàn | yuǎn ma

Is it far from my home to the college?

A | 离 | B | SV
--- | --- | --- | ---
我 家 | 离 | 学 院 | 不 远。
wǒ jiā | lí | xuéyuàn | bù yuǎn

It is not far from my home to the college.

A | 离 | B | SV
--- | --- | --- | ---
我 家 | 离 | 学 院 | 多 远?
wǒ jiā | lí | xuéyuàn | duō yuǎn

How far is it from my home to the college?

A | 离 | B | V + duration
--- | --- | --- | ---
现 在 | 离 | 下 课 | 还 有 一刻 钟。
xiànzài | lí | xiàkè | Háiyǒu yíkè zhōng

It is 15 minutes from now to the end of the class.

The co-verbs 从 cóng from and 到 dào to can also be used to measure distance and duration in the following sentence patterns.

A | 离 | B | V + duration
--- | --- | --- | ---
从 | A | 到 | B
从 | 我 家 | 到 | 学 院
cóng | wǒ jiā | dào | xuéyuàn

My home is a long way from the college.

A | 离 | B | V + duration
--- | --- | --- | ---
从 | A | 到 | B
从 | 我 家 | 到 | 学 院
cóng | wǒ jiā | dào | xuéyuàn

It is three miles from my home to the college.

A | 离 | B | V + duration
--- | --- | --- | ---
从 | A | 到 | B
从 | 我 家 | 到 | 学 院
cóng | wǒ jiā | dào | xuéyuàn

It takes an hour to walk to the college from my home.

A | 离 | B | V + duration
--- | --- | --- | ---
从 | A | 到 | B
从 | 现 在 | 到 | 下 课
cóng | Xiànzài | dào | xiàkè

It is 15 minis between now and the end of the class.

Negation and question words are placed next to the main verbs or stative verbs expressing distance or duration as demonstrated below.

A | 离 | B | V + duration
--- | --- | --- | ---
A | 离 | B | SV
我 家 | 离 | 学 院 | 远 吗?
wǒ jiā | lí | xuéyuàn | yuǎn ma

Is it far from my home to the college?

A | 离 | B | V + duration
--- | --- | --- | ---
A | 离 | B | SV
我 家 | 离 | 学 院 | 不 远。
wǒ jiā | lí | xuéyuàn | bù yuǎn

It is not far from my home to the college.

A | 离 | B | V + duration |
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
A | 离 | B | SV |
我 家 | 离 | 学 院 | 多 远? |
wǒ jiā | lí | xuéyuàn | duō yuǎn |

How far is it from my home to the college?

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