TongTong
Sign in

自从 (zì cóng) — since (a time), ever since

Definition

A preposition used at the start of a time clause meaning 'ever since'; pairs with 以后/以来. Unlike 自, it can ONLY mark a starting point in time, not space. Don't confuse with conjunction 既然 ('since, given that' = because).

preposition
since (a time)ever since

Examples

  • 自从，。
    zì cóng Tā lái gōng sī yǐ hòu, xiào lǜ tí gāo le hěn duō.
    Ever since he came to the company, efficiency has improved a lot.
  • 自从，。
    zì cóng Huàn le xīn shǒu jī, wǒ jiù hěn shǎo yòng diàn nǎo le.
    Ever since I got a new phone, I rarely use my computer.
  • 自从，。
    zì cóng Kāi shǐ gōng zuò, tā měi tiān dōu hěn máng.
    Ever since she started working, she has been very busy every day.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

自zìfrom
从cóngfrom

自 and 从 both point to a starting point, together meaning since.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

自 originally drew a nose. It was borrowed purely for its sound to write 自, so the picture and the meaning are unrelated.

Open 自 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 從; 从 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
从
从cóng從cóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 從 pairs 辵 (walk) with 从, which gives the sound; the character was originally written 从.

Open 从 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Time (Abstract)2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words3000 Most Frequent Chinese Words5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.