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

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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.
 
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) ==
+
== 从 as "from" (time or place) ==
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
从 + Time + 开始 / 起 / 以来 ⋯⋯
+
从 + Time + 开始 / 起 ⋯⋯
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<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> 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>
+
*<em>从</em> 下个月 起 ,我们 就 。<span class="trans">After he .</span>
 
+
*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" (place) ==
 
 
 
=== Structure ===
 
 
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
从 + Place + 到 + 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>
 
</div>
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== 从 as "from" (amount) ==
 
== 从 as "from" (amount) ==
  
===Examples===
+
从小到大、从早到晚、从
 
 
<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) ==
+
== Used in Abstract Concepts ==
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<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>
+
*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>
 
</div>

Revision as of 10:02, 5 March 2018

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

  • 明天 开始 ,我 不 抽烟 了 。 Cóng míngtiān kāishǐ, wǒ bù chōuyān le. Starting tomorrow, I will not smoke.
  • 下个月 起 ,我们 就 。After he .
  • 地上 拿 起来 了 一百 块 。cóng dìshàng ná qǐláile yībǎi kuài. He picked up one hundred RMB from the ground.

从 as "from" (amount)

从小到大、从早到晚、从

Used in Abstract Concepts

Examples

  • 最 差 的 学生 变成 了 最 认真 的 学生。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

离 + Place + Distance

Examples

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

离 as "from" (time)

Structure

离 + Event + [Time Duration]

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 dàzhàn bù dào 50 nián. World War I and World War II are less than 50 years apart.

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4