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 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.
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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 as "from" (time) ==
+
== 从 as "from" (Time or Event) ==
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
从 + Time + 开始 / 起
+
从 + Time / Event + 开始 / 起
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*<em>从</em> 明天 <strong>开始</strong> ,我 不 抽烟 了 。<span class="pinyin"> <em>Cóng</em> míngtiān <strong>kāishǐ</strong>, wǒ bù chōuyān le.</span><span class="trans"> Starting tomorrow, I will not smoke.</span>
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*<em>从</em> 下 个 月 <strong></strong> ,公司 会 越来越 忙 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng</em> xiàge yuè <strong></strong>, gōngsī huì yuèláiyuè máng.</span><span class="trans">Starting from next month, the company will be busier and busier.</span>
*<em>从</em> 下个月 <strong></strong> ,你 别 来 上班 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng</em> xià gè yuè <strong></strong>, nǐ bié lái shàngbān le.</span><span class="trans">Don't bother to come to work from next month.</span>
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*<em>从</em> 我 上 小学 <strong>开始</strong>,就 特别 喜欢 画画 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng</em> wǒ shàng xiǎoxué <strong>kāishǐ</strong>, jiù tèbié xǐhuan huà huà.</span><span class="trans">I have really liked drawing since starting elementary school.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 从 as "from" (place, somebody or something) ==
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=== Colloquial Sayings ===
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 +
从那以后 means "ever since then," while 从今以后 means "from now on."
 +
 
 +
A few examples:
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
*<em>从 那</em> <strong>以后</strong> ,我们 就 没有 联系 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng nà</em> <strong>yǐhòu</strong>, wǒmen jiù méiyǒu liánxì le.</span><span class="trans">Ever since then, we haven't been in touch.</span>
 +
*<em>从 今 </em><strong>以后</strong> ,我 不用 再 加班 了 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng jīn</em> <strong>yǐhòu</strong>, wǒ bùyòng zài jiābān le.</span><span class="trans">I don't need to work late from now on.</span>
 +
 
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
== 从 as "From" (a Place, Somebody, or Something) ==
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*你 是不是 <em>从</em> <strong>我 包里</strong> 拿 了 一百块钱 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shì shì <em>cóng</em> <strong>wǒ bāo lǐ</strong> ná le yī bǎi kuài qián?</span><span class="trans">Did you take one hundred RMB from my purse or not?</span>
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*你 是 不 是 <em>从</em> <strong>我 包 里</strong> 拿 了 一百块钱 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shì bu shì <em>cóng</em> <strong>wǒ bāo lǐ</strong> ná le yī bǎi kuài qián?</span><span class="trans">Did you take one hundred RMB from my purse?</span>
 
*我 <em>从</em> <strong>他 身上</strong> 学到 了 很多 东西 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cóng</em> <strong>tā shēnshang</strong>  xuédào le hěn duō dōngxi.</span><span class="trans">I learned a lot from him.</span>
 
*我 <em>从</em> <strong>他 身上</strong> 学到 了 很多 东西 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>cóng</em> <strong>tā shēnshang</strong>  xuédào le hěn duō dōngxi.</span><span class="trans">I learned a lot from him.</span>
*<em>从</em> 这 件 事 可以 看出 你 的 工作 态度 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng</em> zhè jiàn shì kěyǐ kànchū nǐ de gōngzuò tàidu.</span><span class="trans">We can tell your work attitude from this.</span>
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*<em>从</em> <strong>这 件 事</strong> 可以 看出 你 的 工作 态度 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Cóng</em> <strong>zhè jiàn shì</strong> kěyǐ kànchū nǐ de gōngzuò tàidu.</span><span class="trans">From this incident, we can see your attitude toward work.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 离 as "from" (distance) ==
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== 离 as "Distance from" ==
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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<ul>
 
<ul>
<li class="o">你 家 <em>离</em> 学校 <strong>多 远</strong> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiā <em>lí</em> xuéxiào <strong>duō yuǎn</strong>?</span><span class="trans">How far is your home from your school?</span></li>
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<li class="o">你 家 <em>离</em> 公司 <strong>多 远</strong> ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiā <em>lí</em> gōngsī <strong>duō yuǎn</strong>?</span><span class="trans">How far is your home from your company?</span></li>
<li class="o">我 家 <em>离</em> 学校 <strong>很远</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā <em>lí</em> xuéxiào <strong>hěn yuǎn</strong>.</span><span class="trans">My home is far from my school.</span></li>
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<li class="o">我 家 <em>离</em> 公司 <strong>很 远</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā <em>lí</em> gōngsī <strong>hěn yuǎn</strong>.</span><span class="trans">My home is far from my office.</span></li>
<li class="x">我 家 <em>从</em> 学校 <strong>很远</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā <em>cóng</em> xuéxiào <strong>hěn yuǎn</strong>.</span><span class="trans">My home is far from my school.</span></li>
 
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 离 as "from" (time) ==
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Try not to say:
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
<ul>
 +
<li class="x">我 家 <strong>很 远</strong> <em>从</em> 公司 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā  <strong>hěn yuǎn</strong> <em>cóng</em> gōngsī.</span></li>
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<li class="x">我 家 <em>从</em> 公司 <strong>很 远</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā <em>cóng</em> gōngsī <strong>hěn yuǎn</strong>.</span></li>
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</ul>
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 +
</div>
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 +
== 离 as "From" (a Time or Event) ==
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
Event 1 + 离 + Event 2 + 有 + Duration
+
Past Event 1 + 离 + Time + Duration
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
 +
If you want to say "from now," try this pattern:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
离 + Event + 还有 + Duration
+
离 + Future Event + 还有 + Duration
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
=== Examples ===
 +
 
 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
*上次 见面 <em>离</em> 今天 快 十 年 了 。<span class="pinyin">Shàng cì jiànmiàn <em>lí</em> jīntiān kuài shí nián le.</span><span class="trans">It's been about 10 years since we met last time.</span>
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*<em>离</em> 我们 的 婚礼 <strong>还有</strong> 两个 星期 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Lí</em> wǒmen de hūnlǐ <strong>háiyǒu</strong> liǎng gè xīngqī.</span><span class="trans">We still have two weeks until our wedding.</span>
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*<em>离</em> 毕业 <strong>还有</strong> 几 个 月 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Lí</em> bìyè <strong>háiyǒu</strong> jǐ gè yuè.</span><span class="trans">I am a few months away from graduation.</span>
 +
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Note that this event can be in the past or in the future.
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== Colloquial Saying 离⋯⋯还远呢 ==
  
=== Examples ===
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离⋯⋯还远呢 expresses that something is very far off in terms of time.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*一战 <em>离</em> 二战 只 <strong>有</strong> 二十年 左右 。<span class="pinyin">Yīzhàn <em>lí</em> Èrzhàn zhǐ <strong>yǒu</strong>  èrshí nián zuǒyòu.</span><span class="trans">World War I and World War II are about 20 years apart.</span>
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*我们 刚刚 开始 谈 恋爱 ,<em>离</em> 结婚 <strong>还远</strong> 呢 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gānggāng kāishǐ tán liàn’ài, <em>lí</em> jiéhūn <strong>háiyuǎn</strong> ne.</span><span class="trans">We've just started our relationship. It's too soon to talk about marriage.</span>
*<em>离</em> 毕业 <strong>还有</strong> 几个月 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Lí</em> bìyè <strong>háiyǒu</strong> jǐge yuè.</span><span class="trans">I have a few months away from graduation.</span>
 
*我们 刚刚 开始 谈恋爱 ,<em>离</em> 结婚 <strong></strong> 呢 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen gānggāng kāishǐ tánliànài, <em>lí</em> jiéhūn <strong>hái</strong> yuǎn ne.</span><span class="trans">We've just started our relationship. It's too soon to talk about marriage.</span>
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>

Latest revision as of 04:36, 30 November 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 Event)

Structure

从 + Time / Event + 开始 / 起

Examples

  • 下 个 月 ,公司 会 越来越 忙 。Cóng xiàge yuè , gōngsī huì yuèláiyuè máng.Starting from next month, the company will be busier and busier.
  • 我 上 小学 开始,就 特别 喜欢 画画 。Cóng wǒ shàng xiǎoxué kāishǐ, jiù tèbié xǐhuan huà huà.I have really liked drawing since starting elementary school.

Colloquial Sayings

从那以后 means "ever since then," while 从今以后 means "from now on."

A few examples:

  • 从 那 以后 ,我们 就 没有 联系 了 。Cóng nà yǐhòu, wǒmen jiù méiyǒu liánxì le.Ever since then, we haven't been in touch.
  • 从 今 以后 ,我 不用 再 加班 了 。Cóng jīn yǐhòu, wǒ bùyòng zài jiābān le.I don't need to work late from now on.

从 as "From" (a Place, Somebody, or Something)

Structure

从 + Place + 上 / 里

Examples

  • 你 是 不 是 我 包 里 拿 了 一百块钱 ?Nǐ shì bu shì cóng wǒ bāo lǐ ná le yī bǎi kuài qián?Did you take one hundred RMB from my purse?
  • 他 身上 学到 了 很多 东西 。cóng tā shēnshang xuédào le hěn duō dōngxi.I learned a lot from him.
  • 这 件 事 可以 看出 你 的 工作 态度 。Cóng zhè jiàn shì kěyǐ kànchū nǐ de gōngzuò tàidu.From this incident, we can see your attitude toward work.

离 as "Distance from"

Structure

Place 1 + 离 + Place 2 + 远 / 近

Examples

  • 你 家 公司 多 远Nǐ jiā gōngsī duō yuǎn?How far is your home from your company?
  • 我 家 公司 很 远Wǒ jiā gōngsī hěn yuǎn.My home is far from my office.

Try not to say:

  • 我 家 很 远 公司 。Wǒ jiā hěn yuǎn cóng gōngsī.
  • 我 家 公司 很 远Wǒ jiā cóng gōngsī hěn yuǎn.

离 as "From" (a Time or Event)

Structure

Past Event 1 + 离 + Time + Duration

If you want to say "from now," try this pattern:

离 + Future Event + 还有 + Duration

Examples

  • 上次 见面 今天 快 十 年 了 。Shàng cì jiànmiàn jīntiān kuài shí nián le.It's been about 10 years since we met last time.
  • 我们 的 婚礼 还有 两个 星期 。 wǒmen de hūnlǐ háiyǒu liǎng gè xīngqī.We still have two weeks until our wedding.
  • 毕业 还有 几 个 月 。 bìyè háiyǒu jǐ gè yuè.I am a few months away from graduation.

Colloquial Saying 离⋯⋯还远呢

离⋯⋯还远呢 expresses that something is very far off in terms of time.

  • 我们 刚刚 开始 谈 恋爱 , 结婚 还远 呢 。Wǒmen gānggāng kāishǐ tán liàn’ài, jiéhūn háiyuǎn ne.We've just started our relationship. It's too soon to talk about marriage.

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK4