离 vs 到 (lí vs dào): marking distance vs destination
离 (lí) indicates the distance or gap between two points, often used to ask or state how far something is from a reference location. 到 (dào) marks reaching a destination or endpoint, whether in space or time. The core difference is that 离 focuses on the separation, while 到 focuses on the arrival.
Both 离 and 到 are coverbs used with locations, but they serve opposite functions. 离 expresses the distance from a reference point without implying movement, as in '学校离我家很远' (The school is far from my home). 到 expresses the endpoint of movement or action, as in '我到了学校' (I arrived at school). A common pattern is 从…到… (from…to…), which combines both to indicate a range, but even there 到 marks the endpoint. Understanding which one to use depends on whether you want to describe the gap (离) or the destination (到).
使い分け
Use 离 to indicate the distance or gap between two places (e.g., '我家离公司很近'). It is also used to ask how far something is (e.g., '你家离学校多远？'). 离 does not involve movement; it simply states a spatial or temporal separation.
离 can also be used with time, e.g., '离春节还有三天' (It's still three days until Spring Festival), where it marks the time gap before an event.
Use 到 to indicate reaching a destination or endpoint, whether in space (e.g., '明天到北京') or time (e.g., '工作到五点'). It can also appear in the structure 从…到… to mark a range (e.g., '从上海到北京'). 到 implies arrival or completion of movement.
到 is also used as a result complement (e.g., '看到' '买到'), but that use is not directly comparable to 离. In the context of distance, 到 always marks the end point of a span.
ひと目で分かる
| 离 | 到 | |
|---|---|---|
| Core meaning | Distance / gap between two points | Endpoint / destination |
| Focus | How far apart they are | The arrival point |
| Movement implied | No movement; static measurement | Movement or arrival is implied |
| Common structure | A 离 B + (distance/远/近) | 到 + place/time (arrive at) or 从...到... (range) |
| Example phrase | 离学校很远 | 到北京 |
例文
- 离公司离我家很近。Gōng sī lí wǒ jiā hěn jìn.The company is very close to my home.Uses 离 to state the distance (gap) between two locations.
- 离你离车站有多远？Nǐ lí chē zhàn yǒu duō yuǎn?How far are you from the station?Asks about the gap using 离.
- 到我们明天到上海。Wǒ men míng tiān dào shàng hǎi.We will arrive in Shanghai tomorrow.Uses 到 to mark the destination (arrival point).
- 到从北京到上海坐高铁很快。Cóng běi jīng dào shàng hǎi zuò gāo tiě hěn kuài.It's fast to take the high-speed rail from Beijing to Shanghai.Uses 到 as the endpoint in the 从...到... range structure.
- 离离春节还有三天。Lí chūn jié hái yǒu sān tiān.It's still three days until Spring Festival.Temporal gap: 离 indicates time left before an event.
- 到他工作到很晚。Tā gōng zuò dào hěn wǎn.He works until very late.Temporal endpoint: 到 marks the end time of an action.
よくある間違い
- Using 到 instead of 离 to ask about distance: '你家到学校多远?' is incorrect; should be '离'.
- Using 离 to mean 'arrive': *'我离学校了' – wrong; should be '到'.
- Confusing 离 and 到 in the structure 从...到...: learners sometimes write *'从...离...' – incorrect; only 到 marks the endpoint.
- Using 离 without a reference point: *'离很远' without stating '离什么' – incomplete; always specify A 离 B.
よくある質問
- When do I use 离 vs 到?
- Use 离 when you want to describe the distance or gap between two locations (e.g., '公司离这里不远'). Use 到 when you want to indicate arriving at a destination or the endpoint of a range (e.g., '到北京开会'). If you're asking 'how far from A to B', use 离 for the gap (e.g., 'A离B多远？'), but if you're describing the span as a route, you can use 从A到B.
- Can 离 and 到 be used together in one sentence?
- Yes, but not directly together. They appear in contrastive structures like '离...远，到...近' (far from X, close to Y), or in the common range marker '从...到...' where 到 marks the endpoint. You would not directly combine 离 and 到 as a pair like '离到'.
- Is 到 always used for physical destinations?
- No, 到 can also mark a time endpoint, e.g., '工作到五点' (work until five o'clock), or a degree/state, e.g., '做到完美' (do it until perfect). In the context of distance/endpoint comparisons, 到 mainly refers to spatial or temporal endpoints.
- How do I ask 'How far is it from here to the station?' – should I use 离 or 到?
- You can ask either: '这里离车站有多远？' (using 离 to emphasize the gap) or '从这里到车站有多远？' (using 从...到... to emphasize the route). Both are correct. If you just say '到车站多远？' it's incomplete; you need the starting point with 从 or 离.