从⋯到⋯ (from... to...)

• Pinyin: cóng dào
• Formation: 从 + Place / Time A + 到 + Place / Time B
• Hanzi breakdown: 从 = 人 (person) + 人 (person); 到 = 至 (arrive) + 刂 (knife)

Meaning

从⋯到⋯ (cóng... dào...) expresses a range from one point to another, whether referring to places, times, or abstract concepts. 从 marks the starting point and 到 marks the ending point.

从⋯到⋯ is the standard way to express 'from A to B' in Mandarin. It works with both spatial references (从北京到上海 = 'from Beijing to Shanghai') and temporal ones (从早上到晚上 = 'from morning to evening'). The structure is very flexible — additional information like the mode of transport or duration can be inserted between 从 and 到 or after 到. For example, 从这里走路到那里 means 'to walk from here to there.' The word order is fixed: 从 always introduces the starting point first, followed by 到 and the ending point. Reversing them or using a second 从 in place of 到 are common learner errors.

Examples

1. 从我家到公司要坐半个小时的地铁。 It takes half an hour by subway from my home to the office.
2. 图书馆从早上八点到晚上十点开放。 The library is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
3. 我们从北京坐火车到上海。 We took the train from Beijing to Shanghai.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 从家里到学校走路大概需要十五分钟。
• 这家店从中午十二点到半夜十二点营业。
• 从春天到秋天是旅游的好季节。

Don't Say

• 到上海从北京坐飞机。(从 must come before the starting point and 到 before the destination — the order cannot be reversed — say 从北京到上海坐飞机) → 从北京到上海坐飞机。
• 从早上八点从晚上十点我都在工作。(Use 到 for the endpoint, not a second 从 — say 从早上八点到晚上十点我都在工作) → 从早上八点到晚上十点我都在工作。

Origin & History

从 originally depicted one person following another and meant 'to follow.' 到 derives from 至 (to arrive) and meant 'to reach.' Together they form a directional frame marking starting and ending points, a structure used in Chinese for centuries.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal