Chinese word

自从

Pronunciation

Pinyinzì cóng

Meaning

  • prepositionsince

Example

自从我来这里，就认识了很多朋友。zì cóng wǒ lái zhè lǐ jiù rèn shí le hěn duō péng yǒu

Since I came here, I have made many friends.

Illustration for 自从 (since)

More examples

自从搬家以后，我们更少见面了。zì cóng bān jiā yǐ hòu wǒ men gèng shǎo jiàn miàn le

Since we moved, we have seen each other less often.

Core concept

A time boundary that sends the story forward, connecting an earlier event with what happens afterward.

Common phrases

  • 自从搬家以后zì cóng bān jiā yǐ hòu

    since moving house

  • 自从那天起zì cóng nà tiān qǐ

    since that day

Similar words

从cóng: Introduces a time or event as the starting point for an action or change.
从...起cóng qǐ: Shows that a period or event begins at a stated time and continues from that point onward.

Definition in Chinese

用作介词，引出某一时间或事件的起点，强调从该起点开始发生或持续的情况，常与表示结果或持续的结构连用。yòng zuò jiè cí yǐn chū mǒu yì shí jiān huò shì jiàn de qí diǎn qiáng diào cóng gāi qí diǎn kāi shǐ fā shēng huò chí xù de qíng kuàng cháng yǔ biǎo shì jié guǒ huò chí xù de jié gòu lián yòng

Word origin

自从 (zìcóng, "since") combines 自 (zì, "from") with 从 (cóng, "from"), reinforcing the idea of a time period beginning at a stated point.

Usage tips

  • English since can introduce either a time or a reason, but 自从 (zìcóng, "since") is used for a time starting point, so a reason needs a different construction.

Other meanings

  • from then onpreposition

Opposites

Word lists with this word