From A to B – 從 cóng and 到 dào

Posted on by tiffany

Grammar Point

从 cóng … 到 dào

當代中文 Contemporary Chinese

从 (cóng) marks where something starts — a place, a time, anything with an origin point. Pair it with 到 (dào) and you get “from…to…”, covering the whole stretch from start to end.

一 从 + Place or Time

On its own, 从 just marks the starting point.

从 + Place / Time + (Verb)
你nǐ从cóng哪里nǎlǐ来lái？
Where are you from?
我wǒ从cóng台湾Táiwān来lái
I’m from Taiwan.
她tā从cóng八点bādiǎn开始kāishǐ上课shàngkè
She starts her class at eight o’clock.
我wǒ从cóng2010年nián开始kāishǐ教jiāo中文zhōngwén
I have been teaching Chinese since 2010.

二 从 + Place/Time + 到 + Place/Time

Pairing 从 with 到 gives you “from…to…” or “from…until…”. Whatever action happens along the way sits between the two.

从 + Place/Time + Verb + 到 + Place/Time
我wǒ从cóng家jiā走zǒu到dào学校xuéxiào
I walk from home to school.
他tā从cóng早上zǎoshang等děng到dào晚上wǎnshang
He waited from morning until evening.
我wǒ从cóng台北Táiběi飞fēi到dào上海Shànghǎi
I fly from Taipei to Shanghai.
我們wǒmen从cóng一月yīyuè到dào十二月shíèryuè都dōu在zài工作gōngzuò
We work from January to December.
从cóng你家nǐjiā到dào我家wǒjiā，要yào走zǒu多久duōjiǔ？
How long does it take to walk from your house to mine?
Notice that the whole 从…到… phrase can move to the very front of the sentence, ahead of the subject — like in that last example.

三 Common Mistakes

❌ 我wǒ从cóng家jiā到dào学校xuéxiào走zǒu

✅ 我wǒ从cóng家jiā走zǒu到dào学校xuéxiào

The verb sits between 从‘s starting point and 到’s endpoint — it doesn’t go at the very end.

❌ 我wǒ台湾Táiwān来lái

✅ 我wǒ从cóng台湾Táiwān来lái

从 has to be there to mark it as a starting point — you can’t just place the location in front of the verb on its own.

❌ 我們wǒmen到dào一月yīyuè从cóng十二月shíèryuè都dōu在zài工作gōngzuò

✅ 我們wǒmen从cóng一月yīyuè到dào十二月shíèryuè都dōu在zài工作gōngzuò

从 always marks the starting point and comes first; 到 marks the endpoint and comes second — they can’t be swapped.

四 Practice

Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like — or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck.

Question 1 of 10

“Where is she from?”

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❌ Try Again

她tā从cóng哪里nǎlǐ来lái？

从 marks the starting point you’re asking about — the 在 tile isn’t needed here.

“I’m from Japan.”

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我wǒ从cóng日本Rìběn来lái

从 + place + 来 is the pattern for saying where you’re from.

“The meeting starts at nine o’clock.”

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会议huìyì从cóng九点jiǔdiǎn开始kāishǐ了le

从 marks the starting time, right before the verb 開始/开始.

“I have lived here since 2015.”

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我wǒ从cóng2015年nián住在zhùzài这里zhèlǐ

从2015年 marks the starting point in time, right before the verb.

“I ride my bike from home to the park.”

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我wǒ从cóng家jiā骑车qíchē到dào公园gōngyuán

The verb 骑车 sits between 从‘s starting point and 到’s endpoint.

“He swam from this side to that side.”

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他tā从cóng这边zhèbiān游yóu到dào那边nàbiān了le

Same shape as before: 从 + start + verb + 到 + end.

“I drove from Taipei to Kaohsiung.”

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我wǒ从cóng台北Táiběi开车kāichē到dào高雄Gāoxióng

开车 (“to drive”) is the verb sitting between 从台北 and 到高雄.

“We study from Monday to Friday.”

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我們wǒmen从cóng星期一xīngqīyī到dào星期五xīngqīwǔ都dōu在zài读书dúshū

Same pattern as 从一月到十二月都在工作 — the whole 从…到… phrase leads, then 都在 + verb.

“How long does it take to walk from your house to the airport?”

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从cóng你家nǐjiā到dào机场jīchǎng，要yào走zǒu多久duōjiǔ？

The 从…到… phrase can open the whole sentence, ahead of the subject-less “要走多久” part.

“She read from page one to page one hundred.”

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她tā从cóng第一页dìyíyè看kàn到dào第一百页dìyìbǎiyè

从 marks the first page, 到 marks the last, and 看 sits right in between.