Mandarin · Chapter 17 · Lesson 9 · Common mistake
从 or 离?
One starts a journey. The other measures a gap.
The rule
从 (cong2) is FROM as a starting point you move away from: 从家到公司. 离 (li2) measures DISTANCE between two fixed things: 我家离这里很近. If nothing is moving, you want 离.
Pick the right one
0/6Pick the right one: 从 or 离.
我家来。 (I came from home)
wǒ ___ jiā lái 。 (I came from home)
我家这里很近。 (my home is near here)
wǒ jiā ___ zhè lǐ hěn jìn 。 (my home is near here)
这里到那里要多久? (how long from here to there?)
___ zhè lǐ dào nà lǐ yào duō jiǔ ? (how long from here to there?)
他的家学校很远。 (his home is far from the school)
tā de jiā ___ xué xiào hěn yuǎn 。 (his home is far from the school)
今天开始。 (starting from today)
___ jīn tiān kāi shǐ 。 (starting from today)
现在五点还有一个小时。 (it is an hour until five)
xiàn zài ___ wǔ diǎn hái yǒu yí gè xiǎo shí 。 (it is an hour until five)