从 cóng from
How to remember 从: 人 person + 人 person = from. One person follows another off the crowded evening train, both coming home from the same office.
Component breakdown
会意 · Meaning + meaning
Two or more parts whose meanings together make the new meaning.
从 = 人 person + 人 person
- 人 person meaning
- 人 person meaning
One person follows another off the crowded evening train, both coming home from the same office.
How it came to be
The oldest form shows one person walking with another in the same direction: to follow.
How it is used
- "From" a starting point: 从这儿 (cóng zhèr) from here, 从早到晚 (cóng zǎo dào wǎn) from morning to night. Habitually pairs with 到 (dào).
- Trap: 从 marks a moving origin; 离 (lí) marks a static gap/distance. Use 从北京出发 (leave from Beijing), but 离北京很远 (far from Beijing).
- Also "ever/never" in 从来: 从来不 (cónglái bù) never, 从没 (cóng méi) have never.
Characters built with 从
Words with 从
- 从小cóngxiǎofrom childhoodHSK 2
- 从来cóngláihave always (from the beginning)HSK 4
- 从中cóngzhōngfrom withinHSK 4
- 从此cóngcǐfrom now onHSK 4
- 从不cóngbùneverHSK 5
- 从事cóngshìto go forHSK 5
- 从前cóngqiánpreviouslyHSK 5
- 从而cóng’érthusHSK 5
- 自从zìcóngsince (a time)HSK 5
- 从业cóngyèto practice (a trade)HSK 6
- 从未cóngwèineverHSK 6
- 服从fúcóngto obey (an order)HSK 6
- 从头cóngtóuanewHSK 7
- 从容cóngróngto go easyHSK 7
- 力不从心lìbùcóngxīnto lack the ability to do what one would wishHSK 7
- 听从tīngcóngto listen and obeyHSK 7
- 无从wúcóngnot to have accessHSK 7
- 顺从shùncóngobedientHSK 7
- 从容不迫cóngróng-búpòcalmHSK 8
Example sentences
- 我能从一数到十。 Wǒ néng cóng yī shǔ dào shí.I can count from one to ten.
- 我从美国来。 Wǒ cóng Měiguó lái.I'm from America.
- 她从梦中醒过来。 Tā cóng mèng zhōng xǐng guòlái.She woke up from her dream.
- 我们从基础开始学习。 Wǒmen cóng jīchǔ kāishǐ xuéxí.We'll begin our studies with the basics.