Difference between revisions of "Comparing "li" and "cong""

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{{Grammar Box}}
 
{{Grammar Box}}
  
Both [[离|离 (lí)]] and [[从|从 (cóng)]] can be translated into English as “from”. In Chinese however, their meanings are different. 从 refers to a “dynamic” distance, or a distance that is changing. 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.
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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 =
 
= 从 =
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=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
<div class=”jiegou”>
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<div class="jiegou">
  
 
从 + Place + 到/向…
 
从 + Place + 到/向…
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=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
  
<div class=”liju”>
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<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>
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*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>
 
</div>
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===Examples===
 
===Examples===
  
<div class=”liju”>
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<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>
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*<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>
 
</div>
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== From (change) ==
 
== From (change) ==
 
===Examples===
 
===Examples===
<div class=”liju”>
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<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 biàn chéngle zuì rènzhēn de xuéshēng. </span> <span class=”trans”> Everyone, from the students to the teachers, are on holiday. </span>
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*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 biàn chéngle zuì rènzhēn de xuéshēng. </span> <span class="trans"> Everyone, from the students to the teachers, are on holiday. </span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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===Examples===
 
===Examples===
  
<div class=”liju”>
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<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>
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*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>
 
</div>
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===Examples===
 
===Examples===
  
<div class=”liju”>
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<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 dà zhàn bù dào 50 nián. </span><span class=”trans”> World War I and World War II are less than 50 years apart. </span>
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*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 dà zhàn bù dào 50 nián. </span><span class="trans"> World War I and World War II are less than 50 years apart. </span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>

Revision as of 07:33, 10 May 2016

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.

From (time)

Structure

从 + Time + 开始/起/以来…

Examples

  • 明天 开始,我 不 抽烟 了。 cóng míngtiān kāishǐ, wǒ bù chōuyān le. Starting tomorrow, I will not smoke.
  • 有 了 女朋友 以后,他 不 泡妞 了。 cóng yǒu le nǚ péngyou yǐhòu, tā bù pàoniū le. After he gets a girlfriend, he won’t flirt with girls.

From (place)

Structure

从 + Place + 到/向…

Examples

  • 地上 拿 起来了 一百 块。cóng dìshàng ná qǐláile yībǎi kuài. He picked up one hundred RMB from the ground.

From (amount)

Examples

  • 学生 到 老师 都 放假 了。 cóng xuéshēng dào lǎoshī dōu fàngjiàle. Everyone, from the students to the teachers, are on holiday.

From (change)

Examples

  • 最 差 的 学生 变成 了 最 认真 的 学生。cóng zuì chà de xuéshēng biàn chéngle zuì rènzhēn de xuéshēng. Everyone, from the students to the teachers, are on holiday.

From (distance)

Structure

Examples

  • 我 的 学校 你家 很远。 Wǒ de xuéxiào nǐ jiā hěn yuǎn. My school is far from your house.

From (time)

Structure

Examples

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

Sources and further reading

Books

现代汉语虚词俐释 (pp. 335)

实用对外汉语教学语法 (pp. 263)

HSK3