离…近/远lí... jìn/yuǎn

Expressing distance in space or time with 离 (lí)

Meaning: Close to / far from; time remaining until an event

Pattern

离 (lí) measures distance in space or time:
1.
SPATIAL DISTANCE: Place A + 离 + Place B + (很/不) + 近/远 (or 有 + exact distance).
Examples: 我家离学校很近 (My home is very close to the school), 火车站离这儿不太远 (The train station is not very far from here).
2.
TEMPORAL DISTANCE (time remaining until an event)

1
我家离学校很近。
Wǒ jiā lí xuéxiào hěn jìn.
My home is very close to the school.
2
火车站离这儿不太远。
Huǒchēzhàn lí zhèr bú tài yuǎn.
The train station is not very far from here.
3
离春节还有一个月。
Lí chūnjié hái yǒu yí ge yuè.
There is still one month until the Spring Festival.

•离 indicates static distance, whereas 从 indicates the starting point of movement.

⚠️ Common Mistakes:

•Using 从 instead of 离 for static distance: WRONG 我从学校近 → RIGHT 我家离学校很近.

•Confusing 离 (distance from a single reference point) with 从…到… (from A to B).

Combine Vocabulary, Grammar, Reading Practice, Listening, Hanzi Writing, and Mock Exams at HSK 3 to master all skills together.