自 · （自）……以来
from (formal) · since … (and up to now)
Structure
自 + 地点／时间 + 动词 · （自） + 时间 + 以来 ，……
What it means
自 is a formal “from”, the written twin of 从. A time or event + 以来 means “since then, up to now”.
How it is built
自 + place／time + verb: 自北京开往上海 (from Beijing to Shanghai). (自) + time／event + 以来，+ what is still going on: 回国以来，他一直在一家科技公司工作 (since coming back he has worked at a tech firm).
When to use it
You meet 自 on tickets, signs and in the news; in speech say 从: 自今天起 = 从今天起. After ……以来 the sentence describes something still going on, often with 一直, 已经 or 越来越.
Watch out
The part after ……以来 covers the whole stretch up to now, not one past moment: ✗ 回国以来，他昨天找到了工作。 ✓ 回国以来，他一直在找工作。 自 is optional: 回国以来 = 自回国以来.
Examples
自今天起，这里不能停车。
From today, parking is not allowed here.
自1978年以来，已经有几百万中国人出国留学。
Since 1978, several million Chinese have gone abroad to study.
回国以来，他一直在一家科技公司工作。
Since coming back to China, he has worked at a tech company.
自去年九月以来，我已经读了二十本书。
Since last September I’ve read twenty books.
Learn this in HSK 4 · Lesson 7: 留学回来 (Back from abroad)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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