Definition
自从 (zì cóng) is a preposition meaning 'since, ever since' — it introduces a specific starting point in time, after which something has been true or has continued. It differs from 以来 (yǐ lái), which is a noun used after a time point (e.g., 三年以来 'since three years ago'), and from 自 (zì), a more formal written preposition that can also mean 'from' in space. 自从 is the everyday spoken choice for time clauses.
preposition
since (a time)ever since
Examples
- 自从，。zì cóng tā lái gōngsī yǐhòu, xiàolǜ tígāo le hěn duō.Ever since he came to the company, efficiency has improved a lot.
- 自从，。zì cóng huàn le xīn shǒujī, wǒ jiù hěn shǎo yòng diànnǎo le.Ever since I got a new phone, I rarely use my computer.
- 自从，。zì cóng kāishǐ gōngzuò, tā měitiān dōu hěn máng.Ever since she started working, she has been very busy every day.
Grammar
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