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[](http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1286538933)
[](# "wikilink")
Comparing "li" and "cong"
=========================
[](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/ASG59C66)
-
Level
[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)
-
Similar to
- [Expressing "from… to…" with "cong…
dao…"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22from%E2%80%A6_to%E2%80%A6%22_with_%22cong%E2%80%A6_dao%E2%80%A6%22) (A2)
- [Expressing distance with
"li"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_distance_with_%22li%22) (A2)
- [Expressing "ever since" with
"yilai"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22ever_since%22_with_%22yilai%22) (B1)
-
Used for
[Expressing
distance](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_distance),
[Expressing
location](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_location),
[Giving
directions](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Giving_directions),
[Describing
places](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Describing_places)
-
Keywords
[从](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E4%BB%8E),
[离](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%A6%BB)
-
Translations
[from](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/From)
[{width="300"
height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-cong.jpg)
Contents
--------
[hide]([# "wikilink")\]
- [1 从 as "from"
(Time or
Event)](#.E4.BB.8E_as_.22from.22_.28Time_or_Event.29 "wikilink")
- [1.1
Structure](#Structure "wikilink")
- [1.2
Examples](#Examples "wikilink")
- [1.3
Colloquial
Sayings](#Colloquial_Sayings "wikilink")
- [2 从 as "from"
(Place, Somebody or
Something)](#.E4.BB.8E_as_.22from.22_.28Place.2C_Somebody_or_Something.29 "wikilink")
- [2.1
Structure](#Structure_2 "wikilink")
- [2.2
Examples](#Examples_2 "wikilink")
- [3 离 as "away
from"
(Distance)](#.E7.A6.BB_as_.22away_from.22_.28Distance.29 "wikilink")
- [3.1
Structure](#Structure_3 "wikilink")
- [3.2
Examples](#Examples_3 "wikilink")
- [4 离 as "from"
(Time or
Event)](#.E7.A6.BB_as_.22from.22_.28Time_or_Event.29 "wikilink")
- [4.1
Structure](#Structure_4 "wikilink")
- [4.2
Examples](#Examples_4 "wikilink")
- [5 Colloquial
Saying
离⋯⋯还远呢](#Colloquial_Saying_.E7.A6.BB.E2.8B.AF.E2.8B.AF.E8.BF.98.E8.BF.9C.E5.91.A2 "wikilink")
- [6 Sources and
further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink")
- [6.1
Books](#Books "wikilink")
从 + Time / Event + 开始 / 起
### Examples
- *从* 下 个 月 **起** ，公司 会 越来越 忙
。*Cóng* xiàge yuè **qǐ**, gōngsī huì yuèláiyuè
máng.Starting from next month, the
company will be busier and busier.
- *从* 我 上 小学 **开始**，就 特别 喜欢 画画
。*Cóng* wǒ shàng xiǎoxué **kāishǐ**, jiù tèbié
xǐhuan huà huà.I liked drawing since I
was in elementary school
### Colloquial Sayings
从那以后 means "ever since then," while 从今以后 means "from now on."
A few examples:
- *从 那* **以后** ，我们 就 没有 联系 了 。*Cóng
nà* **yǐhòu**, wǒmen jiù méiyǒu liánxì
le.We stopped contacting with each other
since then.
- *从 今* **以后** ，我 不用 再 加班 了 。*Cóng
jīn* **yǐhòu**, wǒ bùyòng zài jiābān le.I
don't need to work late from now on.
从 as "from" (Place, Somebody or Something)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Structure
从 + Place + 上 / 里
### Examples
- 你 是 不 是 *从* **我 包 里** 拿 了 一百块钱
？Nǐ shì bù shì *cóng* **wǒ bāo lǐ** ná le yī
bǎi kuài qián?Did you or did you not take
one hundred RMB from my purse?
- 我 *从* **他 身上** 学到 了 很多 东西 。Wǒ
*cóng* **tā shēnshang** xuédào le hěn duō
dōngxi.I learned a lot from him.
- *从* **这 件 事** 可以 看出 你 的 工作 态度
。*Cóng* **zhè jiàn shì** kěyǐ kànchū nǐ de
gōngzuò tàidu.We can see your work
attitude from this.
离 as "away from" (Distance)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Structure
Place 1 + 离 + Place 2 + 远 / 近
### Examples
- 你 家 *离* 公司 **多 远** ？Nǐ jiā *lí* gōngsī
**duō yuǎn**?How far is your home from
your company?
- 我 家 *离* 公司 **很远** 。Wǒ jiā *lí* gōngsī
**hěn yuǎn**.My home is far from my
company.
Try not to say:
- 我 家 **很远** *从* 公司 。Wǒ jiā **hěn yuǎn**
*cóng* gōngsī.
离 as "from" (Time or Event)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Structure
Past Event 1 + 离 + Time + Duration
以现在为时间的起点，try this pattern:
离 + Future Event + 还有 + Duration
### Examples
- 上次 见面 *离* 今天 快 十 年 了 。Shàng cì
jiànmiàn *lí* jīntiān kuài shí nián
le.It's been about 10 years since we met
last time.
- *离* 我们 的 婚礼 **还有** 两个 星期 。*Lí*
wǒmen de hūnlǐ **háiyǒu** liǎng gè
xīngqī.We still have two weeks until our
wedding.
- *离* 毕业 **还有** 几 个 月 。*Lí* bìyè
**háiyǒu** jǐ gè yuè.I am a few months
away from graduation.
Colloquial Saying 离⋯⋯还远呢
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
离⋯⋯还远呢 expresses that something is very far off in terms of time.
- 我们 刚刚 开始 谈恋爱 ，*离* 结婚 **还远** 呢
。Wǒmen gānggāng kāishǐ tánliànài, *lí* jiéhūn
**háiyuǎn** ne.We've just started
our relationship. It's too soon to talk about marriage.
Sources and further reading
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Books
- [现代汉语虚词例释](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%99%9A%E8%AF%8D%E4%BE%8B%E9%87%8A) (pp.
335)
[→buy](http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B004323J90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1)
- [实用对外汉语教学语法](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/gramwiki/?title=%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E5%AF%B9%E5%A4%96%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E6%95%99%E5%AD%A6%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95&action=edit&redlink=1) (pp.
263) \[ →buy\]
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