from; away from; to leave
HSK level
离 is written with 10 strokes. The animation replays automatically.
离 (lí) is a preposition meaning 'away from / from' — the word that marks the reference point in distance and time expressions.
The core pattern is A 离 B + 远/近/数字 ('A is X far/close from B'): 我家离学校很近 ('my home is close to school'), 离春节还有一个月 ('it's still a month until Spring Festival'). English speakers often miswire this — in Chinese, 离 always points from A back to B as the anchor; you say 'A is close from B,' not 'A is close to B.' 离 also functions as a verb on its own meaning 'to leave / depart from' — 离家 ('leave home'), 离开 ('depart from'), 离婚 ('divorce').
When used as a verb, it usually pairs with another character: 离开 (líkāi) is the everyday 'to leave / depart.' Don't confuse with 从 (cóng, 'from a starting point') — 从 marks the origin of motion (从北京来 'come from Beijing'), while 离 marks the reference point of distance (离北京很远 'far from Beijing').
我家离学校很近。
Wǒ jiā lí xuéxiào hěn jìn.
My home is close to school.
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公司离这儿很远。
Gōngsī lí zhèr hěn yuǎn.
The company is far from here.
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离春节还有两个星期。
Lí Chūnjié hái yǒu liǎng ge xīngqī.
There are still two weeks until Spring Festival.
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他八点离开了家。
Tā bā diǎn líkāi le jiā.
He left home at eight.
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离开 is the verb 'to leave / depart from' — used with a destination or thing left behind. 我离开北京了 ('I left Beijing'). 离 alone is mostly a preposition for distance; for the action of leaving, use 离开.
距 is the more formal/written word for 'from / distance.' Use 距 in news and reports (距比赛还有三天 'three days until the match'). 离 in everyday speech.
从 means 'from (starting point of motion).' 从 marks where motion BEGINS; 离 marks the REFERENCE point for distance. 从北京来 = 'come from Beijing'; 离北京很远 = 'far from Beijing.' Different jobs.
Same pinyin sound (different tone: lǐ vs lí) and similar look. 里 means 'inside / inner' — 在屋里 ('in the room'). 离 means 'away from.' Easy beginner mix-up.
李 is the surname Li. Same pinyin family but third tone, and a totally different character (木 + 子).
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