Comparing "li" and "cong"

Both 离 (lí) and 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 or event)

Structure

从 + Time / Event + 开始 / 起

Examples

• 从 下个月 起 ，你 别 来 上班 了 。Cóng xià gè yuè qǐ, nǐ bié lái shàngbān le.Don't bother to come to work from next month.
• 从 我 记事 起 ，就 特别 喜欢 画画 。Cóng wǒ jìshì qǐ, jiù tèbié xǐhuan huà huà.I like drawing since I can remember.
• 从 我 妈妈 怀孕 开始 ，我 爸爸 就 不 抽烟 了 。Cóng wǒ māma huáiyùn kāishǐ, wǒ bàba jiù bù chōuyān le.My father has stopped smoking since my mother's pregnancy.

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 take one hundred RMB from my purse or not?
• 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 tell your work attitude from this.

离 as "from" (distance)

Structure

Place 1 + 离 + Place 2 + 远 / 近

Examples

• 你 家 离 学校 多 远 ？Nǐ jiā lí xuéxiào duō yuǎn?How far is your home from your school?
• 我 家 离 学校 很远 。Wǒ jiā lí xuéxiào hěn yuǎn.My home is far from my school.
• 我 家 从 学校 很远 。Wǒ jiā cóng xuéxiào hěn yuǎn.My home is far from my school.

离 as "from" (time or event)

Structure

Event 1 + 离 + Event 2 + 有 + Duration

离 + Event + 还有 + Duration

Note that this event can be in the past or in the future.

Examples

• 一战 离 二战 只 有 二十年 左右 。Yīzhàn lí Èrzhàn zhǐ yǒu èrshí nián zuǒyòu.World War I and World War II are about 20 years apart.
• 离 毕业 还有 几个月 。Lí bìyè háiyǒu jǐge yuè.I have a few months away from graduation.
• 我们 刚刚 开始 谈恋爱 ，离 结婚 还 远 呢 。Wǒmen gānggāng kāishǐ tánliànài, lí jiéhūn hái yuǎn 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 (pp. 335) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy
• 实用对外汉语教学语法 (pp. 263) [ →buy]

HSK4