HSK 4 · VERSION 2.0#99
Comparing “lí” and “cóng”
离 vs 从
How it works
These two words are very different.
The difference
离 (lí) = from, in terms of distance
从 (cóng) = from, in terms of starting point, source, or time
Example sentences
我家离学校很近。
My home is close to the school.
我从家来学校。
I come to school from home.
商店从九点开到九点。 / 北京离上海很远。
The store is open from nine to nine. / Beijing is far from Shanghai.
Key point
Students often confuse physical distance with starting point. These two words are not interchangeable.