ChineseGrammarWiki/ancien/Chinese-Grammar-Wiki/MD/B1.old/Grammar-wiki-B1-140.txt

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Both [[离|离 (lí)]] and [[从|从 (cóng)]] can be translated into English as “from.” In Chinese however, their meanings are different. 从 is used in cases where the subject's position relative to a fixed location changes.  离 expresses a “static” distance, or a distance that is unchanging. Both can be used in defining distance or time, however 从 has more meanings than 离.

== 从 as "from" (time) ==
=== Structure===

<div class="jiegou">

从 + Time + 开始 / 起 / 以来	⋯⋯

</div>

===Examples===

<div class="liju">

*<em>从</em> 明天 开始，我 不 抽烟 了。<span class="pinyin"> <em>Cóng</em> míngtiān kāishǐ, wǒ bù chōuyān le.</span><span class="trans"> Starting tomorrow, I will not smoke.</span>
*<em>从</em> 有 了 女朋友 以后，他 不 泡妞 了。<span class="pinyin"> <em>Cóng</em> yǒu le nǚ péngyou yǐhòu, tā bù pàoniū le.</span><span class="trans"> After he gets a girlfriend, he won’t hit on women.</span>

</div>

== 从 as "from" (place) ==
=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">

从 + Place + 到 / 向 + Place

</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

*他 <em>从</em> 地上 拿 起来了 一百 块。<span class="pinyin"> Tā <em>cóng</em> dìshàng ná qǐláile yībǎi kuài.</span><span class="trans"> He picked up one hundred RMB from the ground.</span>

</div>

== 从 as "from" (amount) ==
===Examples===

<div class="liju">

*<em>从</em> 学生 到 老师 都 放假 了。<span class="pinyin"> <em>Cóng</em> xuéshēng dào lǎoshī dōu fàngjiàle.</span><span class="trans"> Everyone, from the students to the teachers, are on holiday.</span>

</div>

== 从 as "from" (change) ==
===Examples===
<div class="liju">

*他 <em>从</em> 最 差 的 学生 变成 了 最 认真 的 学生。<span class="pinyin"> Tā  <em>cóng</em> zuì chà de xuéshēng biànchéng le zuì rènzhēn de xuéshēng.</span><span class="trans"> He went from being the worst student to the best student.</span>

</div>

== 离 as "from" (distance) ==
=== Structure===

<div class="jiegou">

离 + Place + Distance

</div>

===Examples===

<div class="liju">

*我 的 学校 <em>离</em> 你家 很远。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ de xuéxiào <em>lí</em> nǐ jiā hěn yuǎn.</span><span class="trans"> My school is far from your house.</span>

</div>

== 离 as "from" (time) ==
=== Structure===

<div class="jiegou">

离 + Event + [Time Duration]

</div>

===Examples===

<div class="liju">

*第一次 世界 大战 <em>离</em>第二次 世界 大战 不到  50年。<span class="pinyin"> Dì-yī cì shìjiè dàzhàn <em>lí</em> dì èr cì shìjiè dàzhàn bù dào 50 nián.</span><span class="trans"> World War I and World War II are less than 50 years apart.</span>

</div>

== Sources and further reading ==
=== Books ===

现代汉语虚词俐释 (pp. 335)

实用对外汉语教学语法 (pp. 263)

[[Category:grammar comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|从|B1|离 vs 从|<em>从</em> 明天 开始，我 不 抽烟 了。|grammar point|ASG59C66}}
{{Comparison|Prepositions}}
{{Rel char|离}}
{{Similar|From… to…}}
{{Used for|Expressing distance}}
{{Used for|Expressing location}}
{{Used for|Giving directions}}
{{Used for|Describing places}}
{{Translation|from}}