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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing 'away from' with 离 (lí)

    Direction & Movement
    Location & Position

    Structure

    Subject + 离 + Place + Distance/Direction

    Explanation

    The preposition 离 (lí) means 'away from' or 'from' and is used to express distance or separation between two points. It appears before a noun to indicate the reference point from which distance is measured, and is essential for expressing how far something is from somewhere.

    Examples

    • 我家离公司很近，走路十分钟就到了。

      wǒ jiā lí gōngsī hěn jìn, zǒulù shí fēnzhōng jiù dào le.

      My home is very close to the office — just a ten-minute walk.

    • 这里离机场还有多远？

      zhèlǐ lí jīchǎng hái yǒu duō yuǎn?

      How far is it from here to the airport?

    • 考试离现在只有三天了，你准备好了吗？

      kǎoshì lí xiànzài zhǐ yǒu sān tiān le, nǐ zhǔnbèi hǎo le ma?

      The exam is only three days away — are you ready?

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    Expressing 'away from' with 离 (lí) | Chinese Grammar