Chinese character · HSK 1
从 (cóng) — “from / to follow”
从 began as two people moving together: one person behind or beside another, creating the idea of following and later ‘from’ a starting point.
How to remember 从
One person follows another, going FROM place to place.
Inside the character
- 人 (person) — meaning component. The standalone person form — often marks people, humanity, or human action.
- 人 (person) — meaning component. The standalone person form — often marks people, humanity, or human action.
Where 从 comes from
An ancient compound ideogram originally depicting two people walking in the same direction, representing the act of following, which later extended to mean 'from' a starting point.
Characters related to 从
Learning a character alongside its neighbours — in meaning, in sound, or in shape — is far more durable than learning it in isolation.
Close in meaning
- 跟 (gēn, heel / to follow) — both mean to follow
- 随 (suí, to follow / to comply with) — both mean to follow or comply with
- 自 (zì, self / oneself) — both can mean from
Words that use 从
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 从来 | cóng lái | always / at all times | HSK 3 |
| 自从 | zì cóng | since (a time) / ever since | HSK 3 |
| 服从 | fú cóng | to obey (an order) / to comply | HSK 5 |
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More characters: 付 (fù, to pay / to hand over) · 任 (rèn, to appoint / responsibility) · 休 (xiū, to rest) — or browse the full character library.