Grammar · 语法 yǔfǎ

从

cóng

From, since, following: 从 marks the starting point of motion in space (from a place), origin in time (since a moment), and adherence to a course (following an instruction or rule). It is the counterpart to 到 dào (to, arriving at).

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概览 gàilǎn 从 — Origin and Starting Points

语法洞见 yǔfǎ dòngjiàn · Grammar Insight

从 cóng is a preposition that marks the starting point in space, in time, or in a sequence. 从 comes before the noun that marks the origin, followed by the main verb phrase. The preposition phrase acts as an adverb modifying the main verb.

Spatial origin: 从北京来 (come from Beijing), 从这里到那里 (from here to there), 从左边进 (enter from the left). The endpoint is usually marked by 到 dào: 从 + [origin] + 到 + [destination] is the standard frame for expressing routes and journeys.

Temporal origin: 从小时候 (since childhood), 从上个月开始 (starting from last month), 从明天起 (starting from tomorrow). The endpoint marker is again 到: 从早到晚 (from morning to night), 从古到今 (from ancient times to now).

Following/compliance sense: 从命 (to follow orders), 服从 (to obey), 从事 (to engage in, to follow an occupation). This sense is more classical/formal but appears in modern vocabulary.

空间 kōngjiān Spatial Origin — From a Place

空间句型 kōngjiān jùxíng · Spatial Pattern 从 + [Place] + [Verb]
从北京来。Came from Beijing.
从这里走。Go from here.
从窗户进来。Come in through the window.

从 + [Origin] + 到 + [Destination] + [Verb]
从上海到广州坐高铁要几小时？How many hours by high-speed rail from Shanghai to Guangzhou?
从家到公司，我每天走路。I walk from home to the office every day.

从…到… (spatial) cóng … dào … from [place] to [place] — marking a route or journey

Structure 句型 jùxíng

The core spatial frame: 从 marks the origin, 到 marks the destination, the main verb follows (or is implied). Word order: Subject + 从 + Origin + 到 + Destination + Verb + Duration/manner. 从这儿到机场要多久？= How long from here to the airport? 从南到北 = from south to north. Note: 从 + place typically describes the literal point of departure, while 离 lí + place describes the distance gap between two static locations (这里离火车站很近 = the train station is close from here).

从北京到上海，高铁只需要四个多小时。

Cóng Běijīng dào Shànghǎi, gāotiě zhǐ xūyào sì gè duō xiǎoshí.

From Beijing to Shanghai, the high-speed train only takes a little over four hours.

时间 shíjiān Temporal Origin — Since a Time

时间句型 shíjiān jùxíng · Temporal Pattern 从 + [Time] + 起 / 开始 + [Verb Phrase]
从明天开始，我要早起。Starting from tomorrow, I'm going to get up early.
从那以后，他就没再说话了。After that (from that point on), he never spoke again.
从小到大，她一直很努力。From childhood to adulthood, she has always worked hard.

从 + [Time] + 到 + [Time]
从早上八点到下午五点 = from 8 AM to 5 PM

从…到… (temporal) cóng … dào … from [time] to [time] — marking a duration or span

Structure 句型 jùxíng

The temporal frame exactly parallels the spatial one: 从 marks the start of a time period, 到 marks the end. 从小到大 (from small to big, i.e., from childhood to adulthood) is one of the most common fixed phrases. 从古到今 (from ancient times to today). 从头到尾 (from beginning to end, lit. "from head to tail"). The 从…到… frame can be metaphorical: 从理论到实践 (from theory to practice).

从小到大，父母从来没有对我说过不好听的话。

Cóng xiǎo dào dà, fùmǔ cónglái méiyǒu duì wǒ shuō guò bù hǎotīng de huà.

From childhood to adulthood, my parents never said unkind words to me.

固定 gùdìng Fixed Expressions — Essential 从 Phrases

从来 cónglái always; never — used with negation for absolute denial

Adverb 副词 fùcí

从 cóng (from) + 来 lái (come, here meaning "up to now"). 从来 without negation = "always, consistently" (formal/literary). In practice, 从来 almost always appears with negation: 从来不 (habitual never) or 从来没有 (experiential have never). 从来不 describes habitual non-behavior: 我从来不喝酒 "I never drink." 从来没有 describes an experience that has never occurred: 我从来没有去过日本 "I've never been to Japan." The difference between 从来不 and 从来没有 mirrors 不 vs. 没有 generally.

他从来不迟到，今天居然来晚了。

Tā cónglái bù chídào, jīntiān jūrán lái wǎn le.

He never arrives late, so it's surprising he was late today.

我从来没有见过下这么大的雪。

Wǒ cónglái méiyǒu jiàn guò xià zhème dà de xuě.

I've never seen snow fall this heavily before.

从此 cóngcǐ from then on; henceforth — narrative turning point

Adverb 副词 fùcí

从 cóng (from) + 此 cǐ (this; here). 从此 is a narrative marker that signals a permanent change of state after a critical event. Common in stories, histories, and personal narratives: 从此他再也没有回来 "from then on, he never returned." 从此以后 is the fuller form. Often appears in fairy tale endings: 他们从此过上了幸福的生活 "they lived happily ever after" (lit. "from then on they lived a happy life").

经历了那次失败之后，他从此更加努力学习。

Jīnglì le nà cì shībài zhīhòu, tā cóngcǐ gèngjiā nǔlì xuéxí.

After that failure, he studied even harder from then on.

例句 lìjù Extended Examples — Natural Contexts

从 across contexts natural usage Spatial, temporal, and fixed uses in everyday speech

Examples 例句

Diverse examples showing 从 in spatial, temporal, and idiomatic uses.

请从右边排队，谢谢。

Qǐng cóng yòubiān páiduì, xièxie.

Please queue from the right side, thank you.

从认识他到现在，已经过了十年了。

Cóng rènshi tā dào xiànzài, yǐjīng guò le shí nián le.

It's been ten years since I met him.

这个问题可以从很多角度来分析。

Zhège wèntí kěyǐ cóng hěn duō jiǎodù lái fēnxī.

This problem can be analyzed from many angles.

他从事教育工作已经二十年了。

Tā cóngshì jiàoyù gōngzuò yǐjīng èrshí nián le.

He has been engaged in educational work for twenty years already.