In this video lesson we'll learn how say distance with words like meters and kilometers in Chinese, and how to say the distance from a place, a point in time or a purpose in Chinese with 离. We'll also learn about "The 有 Sentence" Type 1, and how to ask a Question with Question Word 多.

meters and kilometers in Chinese
distance from in Chinese with 离
"The 有 Sentence 有字句 " (III). See two different types of "有字句" (I) and (II).
ask a Question with Question Word 多

Take Quiz

Do Practice

VOCABULARY

GRAMMAR

Grammar 1: Meters and Kilometers in Chinese · HSK 2

In China, 米 and 公里 are used to say meters and kilometers in Chinese.

Another commonly used distance unit is lǐ 里, which is 500 meters.

Traditionally, the distance between two bus stops is 一里.

Nowadays, 米 and 公里 are more commonly used.

Grammar 2: Distance From in Chinese with 离 · HSK 2

We have learned Preposition 从 meaning "from" in Lesson 11. 离 also suggests "the distance from". However 离 and 从 cannot be used in the same way. Their differences are as follows:

	离	从
Part of Speech	verb	preposition
Meaning	to be (a distance) away from another time point; to be (a distance) away from another location; to be (a distance) away from a purpose/goal that is not realized yet	from (the starting point of time); from (the starting point of a trip)
Structure	A 离 B + a distance/an amount of time	从 A(time point/location) 到 B(time point/location)

Below are example sentences where we can suggest a distance from in Chinese with 离:

(1) 离 suggesting to be (a distance) away from another time point

jīntiān lí chūnjié háiyǒu yí ge xīngqī
今天离春节还有一个星期。
today, being away from the Spring Festival, still exist one "ge" (of) week
xiànzài lí xiūxi shíjiān háiyǒu shí fēnzhōng
现在离休息时间还有十分钟。
now, being away from rest time, still exists 10 minutes

(2) 离 suggesting to be (a distance) away from another location

gōnggòng qìchē zhàn lí gōngsī liǎngbǎi mǐ
公共汽车站离公司两百米。
bus stop, being away from (the) company, (is) 200 meters
lánqiúchǎng lí zúqiúchǎng bù yuǎn
篮球场离足球场不远。
(the) basketball court, being away from (the) soccer field, (is) not far

(3) 离 suggesting to be (a distance) away from a purpose/goal that is not realized yet

Xiǎoměi lí xué zhè běn shū háiyǒu yìnián
小美离学这本书还有一年。
Xiaomei, being away from learning this "ben" (of) book, still exist one year
wǒmen lí yào xiǎohái hái zǎo ne
我们离要小孩还早呢！
we, being away from having kid, still early -ne

Grammar 3: The 有 Sentence 有字句 " (III) · HSK 2

We have learn two types of usage of 有: (1) to have something or to own something, and (2) to exist in an Existential Sentence with 有.

In today's lesson, we'll learn (3) 有 as "to reach (the evaluation of...) in a '有 Sentence 有字句(Yǒuzìjù)'". The structure goes like this:

Something + 有 + an evaluation of...

For example,

cóng huǒchēzhàn dào gōnggòngqìchē zhàn yǒu liǎng gōnglǐ
从火车站到公共汽车站有两公里。
(the distance) from (the) train station to (the) bus stop "reaches" 2 kilometers
tā gèzi fēicháng gāo, yǒu liǎng mǐ
他个子非常高，有两米。
his heigh (is) very tall, (and it) "reaches" 2 meters
tā xué Hànyǔ yǒu yìnián le
他学汉语有一年了。
he learning Chinese "reaches" one year now

Grammar 4: Ask A Question with Question Word 多 · HSK 2

In one of the very beginner lessons, we've learned this sentence "你多大？" asking someone's age in Chinese.

The structure used here is,

Subject + 多 + Adjective (Phrase)

In questions like this, 多 is a Question Pronoun, meaning "how much; in what degree; in what level". It is used to ask the degree of the Adjective following it. For example,

cóng zhèbian dào nàbian yǒu duō yuǎn
从这边到那边有多远？
(the distance) from here to there, how much far (does it) reach
jiàoshì lí bàngōngshì duō yuǎn
教室离办公室多远？
(the) classroom, being away from (the) office, how much far
měigerén dōu shuō tāde Zhōngwén hěnhǎo, yǒu duōhǎo
每个人都说他的中文很好，有多好？
every one all says (that) his Chinese (is) very good, how much good (does it) reach