▎自, zì, (Prep), from (formal)

 

Function 自 is a classical Chinese preposition, corresponding to modern 從, meaning ‘from’ a location. It occurs after a main verb (as in classical Chinese).

1 世界各地都有來自中國的移民。

Shìjiè gè dì dōu yǒu láizì Zhōngguó de yímín.

Immigrants from China can be found all over the world.

2 現在中文裡像「超好吃」這樣「超……」的表達是來自日文。

Xiànzài Zhōngwén lǐ xiàng ‘chāo hǎochī’ zhèyàng ‘chāo…’ de biǎodá shì láizì Rìwén.

The characters ‘超’, as used in modern Chinese phrases like ‘超好吃’, is an expression that came from Japanese.

3 這本書裡的文章大多數選自美國作家的小說。

Zhè běn shū lǐ de wénzhāng dà duōshù xuǎnzì Měiguó zuòjiā de xiǎoshuō.

The selections in this book are mostly taken from American writers’ novels.

4 這對夫婦的孩子領養自三個不同的國家。

Zhè duì fūfù de háizi lǐngyǎng zì sān ge bùtóng de guójiā.

This couple’s children have been adopted from three different countries.

5 這本歷史故事書是翻譯自西班牙歷史故事。

Zhè běn lìshǐ gùshì shū shì fānyì zì Xībānyá lìshǐ gùshì.

This book on history is translated from Spanish.

 

Usage The negative structure is ‘不是＋V 自’, e.g.,

1 聽說那位畫家的很多畫都不是出自自己的手，而是學生畫的。

Tīngshuō nà wèi huàjiā de hěn duō huà dōu búshì chūzì zìjǐ de shǒu, ér shì xuéshēng huà de.

I’ve heard that many of that artist’s paintings weren’t even done by him. They were painted by his students.

2 這張圖片不是取自網路，而是我自己拍的。

Zhè zhāng túpiàn búshì qǔzì wǎnglù, ér shì wǒ zìjǐ pāi de.

This picture wasn’t taken from the internet. I took it myself.