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“离” indicates the distance from a place, moment or goal.
A + 离 + B + Adjective / Numerical phrase
e.g.
火车站离学校不远。(Huǒchēzhàn lí xuéxiào bùyuǎn.) The train station is not far from the school.
这架飞机离起飞还早。(Zhè jià fēijī lí qǐfēi hái zǎo.) The plane is still early to take off.
我家离学校五百多米。(Wǒ jiā lí xuéxiào wǔbǎiduō mǐ.) My house is over 500 meters from the school.
我们离毕业还有两年。(Wǒmen lí bìyè hái yǒu liǎng nián.) We are still two years away from graduation.
“从” indicates the starting point of a period of time, a distance, a process, or a sequence. This means that in addition to “from”, it can also take on the meaning “since” in certain situations.
Subject + 从…… + Verb / Adjective
e.g.
你从哪里来？(Nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái?) Where are you from?
我们从学校出发了。(Wǒmen cóng xuéxiào chūfā le.) I departed from the school.
我们是从上周一开始上班的。(Wǒmen shì cóng shàng zhōuyī kāishǐ shàngbān de.) We have been working since last Monday.
从现在开始，你就是一个大人了。(Cóng xiànzài kāishǐ, nǐ jiùshì yīgè dàrén le.) From now on, you are an adult.
“从(cóng)“ is often used in accordance with “到(dào)”.
从A 到B
This pattern is flexible and can have several different meanings. It can be put at the beginning of a sentence or in the middle of a sentence as an adverbial phrase, usually meaning “from… to…”or a slight variation of this pattern.
e.g.
我们从今天到明天放假。(Wǒmen cóng jīntiān dào míngtiān fàngjià.) We have a vacation from today till tomorrow.
从理想到现实需要我们付出很多努力。(Cóng lǐxiǎng dào xiànshí xūyào wǒmen fùchū hěn duō nǔlì.) To go from dreams to reality, we must expend a lot of effort.
大家从高到矮站好。(Dàjiā cóng gāo dào ǎi zhàn hǎo.) Everyone stands up from high to low.
从过去到现在你都那么好看。(Cóng guòqù dào xiànzài nǐ dōu nàme hǎokàn.) You are pretty from the past to the present.
1. “离” indicates the distance from a place, moment or goal.
A + 离 + B + Adjective / Numerical phrase
e.g.
火车站离学校不远。(Huǒchēzhàn lí xuéxiào bùyuǎn.) The train station is not far from the school.
这架飞机离起飞还早。(Zhè jià fēijī lí qǐfēi hái zǎo.) The plane is still early to take off.
我家离学校五百多米。(Wǒ jiā lí xuéxiào wǔbǎiduō mǐ.) My house is over 500 meters from the school.
我们离毕业还有两年。(Wǒmen lí bìyè hái yǒu liǎng nián.) We are still two years away from graduation.
2. “从” indicates the starting point of a period of time, a distance, a process, or a sequence. This means that in addition to “from”, it can also take on the meaning “since” in certain situations.
Subject + 从…… + Verb / Adjective
e.g.
你从哪里来？(Nǐ cóng nǎlǐ lái?) Where are you from?
我们从学校出发了。(Wǒmen cóng xuéxiào chūfā le.) I departed from the school.
我们是从上周一开始上班的。(Wǒmen shì cóng shàng zhōuyī kāishǐ shàngbān de.) We have been working since last Monday.
从现在开始，你就是一个大人了。(Cóng xiànzài kāishǐ, nǐ jiùshì yīgè dàrén le.) From now on, you are an adult.
“从(cóng)“ is often used in accordance with “到(dào)”.
从A 到B
This pattern is flexible and can have several different meanings. It can be put at the beginning of a sentence or in the middle of a sentence as an adverbial phrase, usually meaning “from… to…” or a slight variation of this pattern.
e.g.
我们从今天到明天放假。(Wǒmen cóng jīntiān dào míngtiān fàngjià.) We have a vacation from today till tomorrow.
从理想到现实需要我们付出很多努力。(Cóng lǐxiǎng dào xiànshí xūyào wǒmen fùchū hěn duō nǔlì.) To go from dreams to reality, we must expend a lot of effort.
大家从高到矮站好。(Dàjiā cóng gāo dào ǎi zhàn hǎo.) Everyone stands up from high to low.
从过去到现在你都那么好看。(Cóng guòqù dào xiànzài nǐ dōu nàme hǎokàn.) You are pretty from the past to the present.
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