HSK · Level 3
131 words
Chinese word
自
Pronunciation
Pinyinzì
Meaning
- prepositionfrom
Example
公司自五月起实行新制度。gōng sī zì wǔ yuè qǐ shí xíng xīn zhì dù
The company implemented a new system starting in May.
More examples
他自出生以来就喜欢音乐。tā zì chū shēng yǐ lái jiù xǐ huān yīn yuè
He has liked music since birth.
Core concept
A marked starting point from which a time span or route extends onward.
Common phrases
自出生以来zì chū shēng yǐ lái
since birth
自上次以来zì shàng cì yǐ lái
since last time
Similar words
从cóng: Shows the time or place from which something begins or proceeds.
从…起cóng qǐ: Marks a stated time as the point from which something takes effect.
从…开始cóng kāi shǐ: Shows in everyday speech when an action or event begins.
自从zì cóng: Shows that a period or situation has continued since a stated time.
Definition in Chinese
作介词表示时间或空间的起点，常与“起”“以来”类词搭配，表示从某一时点或地点开始。zuò jiè cí biǎo shì shí jiān huò kōng jiān de qí diǎn cháng yǔ qǐ yǐ lái lèi cí dā pèi biǎo shì cóng mǒu yì shí diǎn huò dì diǎn kāi shǐ
Word origin
自 (zì, "self") began as a drawing of a nose, later came to mean "self", and was also used in classical Chinese to mark the origin from which something begins.
Usage tips
- In public signs and written announcements, this word often marks the date when a change begins, making it useful to recognize in everyday reading.