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 place)

Structure

从 + Time + 开始 / 起 ⋯⋯

Examples

• 从 明天 开始 ，我 不 抽烟 了 。 Cóng míngtiān kāishǐ, wǒ bù chōuyān le. Starting tomorrow, I will not smoke.
• 从 下个月 起 ，你 别 来 上班 了 。Don't bother to come to work from next month.

从 as "from" (place, somebody or something)

Structure

从 + Place + 上 / 里 / 中

• 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.

从 as "from" (amount)

从小到大、从早到晚、从

Used in Abstract Concepts

Examples

• 他 从 最 差 的 学生 变成 了 最 认真 的 学生。 Tā cóng zuì chà de xuéshēng biànchéng le zuì rènzhēn de xuéshēng. He went from being the worst student to the best student.

离 as "from" (distance)

Structure

Place 1 + 离 + Place 2 + 远 / 近

Examples

• 我 家 离 学校 很远 。Wǒ jiā lí xuéxiào hěn yuǎn.My home is far from my school.
• 我 家 离 学校 很远 。Wǒ jiā lí xuéxiào hěn yuǎn.My home is far from my school.

离 as "from" (time)

Structure

离 + Event + [Time Duration]

Examples

• 第一次 世界 大战 离第二次 世界 大战 不到 50年 。 Dì-yī cì shìjiè dàzhàn lí dì èr cì shìjiè dàzhàn bù dào 50 nián. World War I and World War II are less than 50 years apart.

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