从⋯⋯ 到⋯⋯(cóng... dào...) is used in the same way as "from... to..." is
used in English, and can be used both for times and places.

Used for Times
--------------

To express from one time to another, the following structure is used:

### Structure

<div class="jiegou">
从 + Time 1 + 到 + Time 2

</div>
The "time" here does not necessarily have to be a standard time word; it
can be any event or action.

### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   <em>从</em> 2004 年 <em>到</em> 2008
    年<span class="pinyin"><em>cóng</em> èr-líng-líng-sì nián
    <em>dào</em> èr-líng-líng-bā nián</span><span class="trans">from
    2004 to 2008</span>
-   <em>从</em> 一号 <em>到</em> 五号 都 在
    下雨。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng</em> yī hào <em>dào</em> wǔ hào
    dōu zài xiàyǔ.</span><span class="trans">From the first to the
    fifth, it's been raining non-stop.</span>
-   老板 <em>从</em> 周二 <em>到</em> 周五 都 要
    出差。<span class="pinyin">Lǎobǎn <em>cóng</em> Zhōuèr <em>dào</em>
    Zhōuwǔ dōu yào chūchāi.</span><span class="trans">From Tuesday until
    Friday the boss will go on a business trip.</span>
-   她 <em>从</em> 18岁 <em>到</em> 现在 都 一个人
    住。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>cóng</em> shíbā suì <em>dào</em>
    xiànzài dōu yīgèrén zhù.</span><span class="trans">She's lived alone
    since she was 18 until now.</span>
-   你 不 能 <em>从</em> 早 <em>到</em> 晚 不 吃
    东西。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù néng <em>cóng</em> zǎo <em>dào</em>
    wǎn bù chī dōngxi.</span><span class="trans">You can't eat nothing
    from morning to night.</span>

</div>
Remember that there are two options for the [word order of time
words](Time_words_and_word_order "wikilink").

Used for Places
---------------

The same structure can also be used to express "from" one place "to"
another.

### Structure

<div class="jiegou">
从 + Place 1 + 到 + Place 2

</div>
### Examples

<div class="liju">
-   <em>从</em> 南京 西 路 <em>到</em> 南京 东
    路<span class="pinyin"><em>cóng</em> Nánjīng Xī Lù <em>dào</em>
    Nánjīng Dōng Lù</span><span class="trans">from West Nanjing Road to
    East Nanjing Road</span>
-   <em>从</em> 酒店 <em>到</em> 机场 不太
    远。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng</em> jiǔdiàn <em>dào</em> jīchǎng
    bù tài yuǎn.</span><span class="trans">From the hotel to the airport
    is not too far.</span>
-   <em>从</em> 上海 <em>到</em> 北京 要 几 个
    小时。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng</em> Shànghǎi <em>dào</em>
    Běijīng yào jǐ gè xiǎoshí.</span><span class="trans">From Shanghai
    to Beijing it takes a few hours.</span>
-   <em>从</em> 你 家 <em>到</em> 机场 可以 坐 地铁
    吗？<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng</em> nǐ jiā <em>dào</em> jīchǎng
    kěyǐ zuò dìtiě ma? </span><span class="trans">From your place to the
    airport, can I take the subway?</span>
-   <em>从</em> 这里 <em>到</em> 我们 公司，你 会 看见 很 多
    美女。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng</em> zhèlǐ <em>dào</em> wǒmen
    gōngsī, nǐ huì kànjiàn hěn duō měinǚ.</span><span class="trans">From
    here to our company, you'll see many beautiful girls.</span>

</div>
See Also
--------

-   [Expressing "ever since" with
    "zicong"](Expressing_"ever_since"_with_"zicong" "wikilink")
-   [Using "dao" to mean "to go
    to"](Using_"dao"_to_mean_"to_go_to" "wikilink")

Sources and further reading
---------------------------

### Books

-   [Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical
    Guide](Modern_Mandarin_Chinese_Grammar:_A_Practical_Guide "wikilink") (pp.
    84-5)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415700108?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0415700108)
-   [Basic Patterns of Chinese
    Grammar](Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar "wikilink") (pp. 112-3)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899)
-   [Boya Chinese Elementary Starter
    1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇)](Boya_Chinese_Elementary_Starter_1_(博雅汉语初经起步篇) "wikilink") (p.
    89)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7301075294/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7301075294)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part
    1](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1 "wikilink") (pp. 237-8)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792)

[Category:A2 grammar points](Category:A2_grammar_points "wikilink")