<blockquote>
<p>自...起 since</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It is correct, &quot;<strong>自</strong>???<strong>起</strong>&quot; means &quot;<strong>Since</strong> ???&quot;</p>
<ul>
<li><p>自 = from</p>
</li>
<li><p>起 = begin</p>
</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;(自) ??? (起)&quot; = &quot;(begin from) ???&quot; = &quot;<strong>(Since)</strong>???&quot;</p>
<p>e.g.&quot;<strong>自</strong>七月<strong>起</strong>禁止捕魚&quot; (Ban on fishing <strong>since</strong> July)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Other common structures with 自:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;<strong>自</strong>(from) ??? <strong>以來</strong>(thereafter)&quot; = &quot;<strong>since</strong> ???&quot;</p>
<p>e.g. <strong>自</strong>美國立國<strong>以來</strong> (<strong>Since</strong> the founding of the United States <em>thereafter</em>)</p>
<p>&quot;<strong>自</strong> (from) ??? <strong>以後</strong>/<strong>之後</strong> (after)&quot; = &quot;<strong>since</strong> ???&quot;</p>
<p>e.g. <strong>自</strong>美國立國<strong>以後</strong> (<strong>Since</strong> <em>after</em> the founding of the United States)</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T03:38:14.880Z
2019-11-27T04:03:08.237Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>Yes, your understanding is right. </p>

<p>「自...起」 can be used for a point in time as well as in location. </p>

<p>For example, 「自第二层起，所有楼层都是住宅」 meaning that “from the second floor, all floors are residential”. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T08:13:28.570Z
2019-11-27T08:13:28.570Z
chenghaibo
<p>This text is talking about the lights in 广州湛涌村。</p>

<p>由于如秋后，广州的日照时间缩短，自花苗上盆起，花农们就会利用电灯补光来延迟花期。</p>

<p>This bit confused me (I'm easily confused). Is it right that 自 ... 起 work together as 'from when' or 'starting from when' here?</p>

<p>自...起 since</p>

<p><strong>自</strong>花苗上盆<strong>起</strong><br>
starting from when the seedlings are put in their pots</p>

<p>If this is right, you can clearly see the power of Chinese to express ideas in a very concise manner!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T04:45:36.303Z
Your understanding is correct: "自花苗上盆起
starting from when the seedlings are put in their pots".
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T08:52:37.253Z
延迟花期(delay the flowers selling period) is wrong. It should be "延长(prolong)花期"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T08:54:16.703Z
"如" in "由于如秋后" is a typo. It should be ""由于秋后"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T09:51:01.937Z
@ tsh "由于如秋后，广州的日照时间缩短" means the daylight time is shortened, The lighting is there  to make up for the lost daylight, It is hard to do business when it is dark. So "prolong the selling time" make sense but "delay the selling time" doesn't
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T09:57:34.737Z
the way to delay the start of flowing selling period until spring festival is not to sell them before it is time. using electric lighting is for  prolonging the selling time every day
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T10:01:34.550Z
And... "如" in "由于如秋后" is a typo. But it should be ""由于入秋后"
tsh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T10:02:28.890Z
"入" in "由于入秋后" can be omitted
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T10:02:51.827Z
Let us [continue this discussion in chat](https://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/101548/discussion-between-tsh-and-tang-ho).
tsh
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T10:02:55.397Z
I think 延迟花期 here means: prolong florescence.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T10:08:24.440Z
my typo, was correct 入 in my book
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T10:42:13.443Z
@TangHo 入 can't be omitted in 由于入秋后 because it will change the meaning. 由于入秋后 means *after entering the fall*, while 由于秋后 means either *at the end of fall* or *after the fall*.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-27T10:48:11.017Z
I think 秋后 means "after fall arrived". not "after fall end e.g". 秋後斬 (Execution after fall arrived)，秋後算帳 , 秋後扇. after fall end is called 冬至 (winter comes)
Tang Ho
<meaning-in-context>
Do 自 and 起 work together here?
# Do 自 and 起 work together here?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-11-27)

This text is talking about the lights in 广州湛涌村。

由于如秋后，广州的日照时间缩短，自花苗上盆起，花农们就会利用电灯补光来延迟花期。

This bit confused me (I'm easily confused). Is it right that 自 ... 起 work together as 'from when' or 'starting from when' here?

自...起 since

**自**花苗上盆**起**  
starting from when the seedlings are put in their pots

If this is right, you can clearly see the power of Chinese to express ideas in a very concise manner!

**Tags:** meaning-in-context

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Your understanding is correct: "自花苗上盆起 starting from when the seedlings are put in their pots".  
> **username_2**: 延迟花期(delay the flowers selling period) is wrong. It should be "延长(prolong)花期"  
> **username_2**: "如" in "由于如秋后" is a typo. It should be ""由于秋后"  
> **username_2**: @ username_3 "由于如秋后，广州的日照时间缩短" means the daylight time is shortened, The lighting is there  to make up for the lost daylight, It is hard to do business when it is dark. So "prolong the selling time" make sense but "delay the selling time" doesn't  
> **username_2**: the way to delay the start of flowing selling period until spring festival is not to sell them before it is time. using electric lighting is for  prolonging the selling time every day  
> **username_3**: And... "如" in "由于如秋后" is a typo. But it should be ""由于入秋后"  
> **username_2**: "入" in "由于入秋后" can be omitted  
> **username_3**: Let us [continue this discussion in chat](https://chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/101548/discussion-between-username_3-and-tang-ho).  
> **username_1**: I think 延迟花期 here means: prolong florescence.  
> **username_0**: my typo, was correct 入 in my book  
> **username_1**: @TangHo 入 can't be omitted in 由于入秋后 because it will change the meaning. 由于入秋后 means *after entering the fall*, while 由于秋后 means either *at the end of fall* or *after the fall*.  
> **username_2**: I think 秋后 means "after fall arrived". not "after fall end e.g". 秋後斬 (Execution after fall arrived)，秋後算帳 , 秋後扇. after fall end is called 冬至 (winter comes)  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-11-27. Score: 4

> 自...起 since

It is correct, "**自**???**起**" means "**Since** ???"

* 自 = from
* 起 = begin

> "(自) ??? (起)" = "(begin from) ???" = "**(Since)**???"
>
> e.g."**自**七月**起**禁止捕魚" (Ban on fishing **since** July)

Other common structures with 自:

> "**自**(from) ??? **以來**(thereafter)" = "**since** ???"
>
> e.g. **自**美國立國**以來** (**Since** the founding of the United States *thereafter*)
>
> "**自** (from) ??? **以後**/**之後** (after)" = "**since** ???"
>
> e.g. **自**美國立國**以後** (**Since** *after* the founding of the United States)


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### Answer by username_4 on 2019-11-27. Score: 3

Yes, your understanding is right.

「自...起」 can be used for a point in time as well as in location.

For example, 「自第二层起，所有楼层都是住宅」 meaning that “from the second floor, all floors are residential”.


---

