自从 — since
since
How to pronounce it
自从 is read zì cóng: 2 syllables. The tone is part of the word: with another melody you get another word, or just a jumble of sounds.
How to write it
A picture of a nose: when Chinese people say “me”, they point at their nose.
Two people 人 walking one behind the other.
Strokes go in order: top to bottom and left to right, horizontal before vertical. Tap a character to open its page, with the strokes shown large and the words it appears in. To train your hand, print a handwriting sheet for “自从”.
Examples
Sentences from the course lessons with 自从. Tap the sound icon to listen.
- 自从搬到这里以后，我每天走路上班。zìcóngbāndàozhèlǐyǐhòu,wǒměitiānzǒulùshàngbānSince I moved here, I've walked to work every day.
- 自从有了孩子她就不上班了zìcóngyǒuleháizi,tājiùbúshàngbānleSince she had a baby, she hasn't been working.
- 自从搬到这里我很少生病zìcóngbāndàozhèlǐ,wǒhěnshǎoshēngbìngSince I moved here, I rarely get sick.
More words from the lesson “Since then”
Look up another word in the Chinese–English dictionary: in English, in pinyin or in characters.
Frequently asked questions
What does 自从 mean?
自从 (zìcóng) means “since”.
How do you write 自从?
自从 is 2 characters: 自 (zì) — self; 从 (cóng) — from; follow. The stroke order of each one is shown step by step on this page.
How do you pronounce 自从?
自从 is read zìcóng. Tones: zì — fourth tone, cóng — second tone. The page has a native speaker recording.
“since” in the lesson “Since then”
This word is from the topic “Time: when and how long” of HSK 5. In the lesson you hear it in a dialogue, build a sentence with it and say it out loud. Start for free, no sign-up needed.
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