DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

從

简从 · 繁從

Mandarin · pinyin cóng#

from; through; via
(bound form) to follow
(bound form) to obey
(bound form) to engage in (an activity)
(used before a negative) ever
(bound form) (Taiwan pr. zòng) retainer; attendant
(bound form) (Taiwan pr. zòng) assistant; auxiliary; subordinate
(bound form) (Taiwan pr. zòng) related by common paternal grandfather or earlier ancestor

Mandarin · pinyin Cóng#

surname Cong

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Characters in this entry

從: cóng · from, by, since, whence, through
从: cóng · from, by, since, whence, through

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

2 · cong2

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2character links17same-tone records

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

從 · find source passages ↗ · 从 · find source passages ↗

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Rime Cantonese 粵拼

cung1 · cung4 · sung1 · zung1 · zung3 · zung6

Cantonese word readings for 從. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

character · Etymology 1

(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to follow; to come after
to comply with; to submit to
(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to follow the principle of
(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) to join; to be engaged in
from (a place or time); since
through; via; by
from; according to
(followed by negative) never; ever
19th tetragram of the Taixuanjing; "following" (𝌘)
a surname

character · Etymology 1

(of relatives) paternal (with the same surname)
auxiliary; subsidiary
follower; attendant; entourage

character · Etymology 2

only used in 從容／从容 (cóngróng, “calm; at ease”)

character · Etymology 3

(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 縱 /纵 (“straight; vertical”)
(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 縱 /纵 (“to give free rein to”)

character · Etymology 4

(obsolete on its own in Standard Chinese) alternative form of 蹤 /踪 (zōng)

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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