Expressing "from… to…" with "cong… dao…"

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

从 + Time 1 + 到 + Time 2

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

Examples

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

Remember that there are two options for the word order of time words.

Used for Places

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

Structure

从 + Place 1 + 到 + Place 2

Examples

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

See also

• Comparing "li" and "cong"
• Using "dao" to mean "to go to"
• Expressing distance with "li"

Sources and further reading

Books

• HSK Standard Course 2 (pp. 69) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 84-5) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 112-3) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 89) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 237-8) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

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