<p>For people, 来自(came from) is more literary than colloquial, As your example stated 我来自马来西亚 is more literary  and 我是从马来西亚来的 is more colloquial</p>

<p>However, for objects, 来自 is a common preposition for 'from' in day to day speech</p>

<p>Example: </p>

<p>這些橙<strong>来自</strong>加州 - These oranges are <strong>from</strong> California (the oranges didn't come here on their own, someone delivered them)</p>

<p>這病毒<strong>來自</strong>非洲 - This virus is <strong>from</strong> Africa (the virus didn't travel on it's own, someone carried it)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-02T02:04:18.580Z
2019-06-02T02:12:36.577Z
2019-06-02T02:12:36.577Z
Tang Ho
<p>Is 来自 used in daily conversations? For example, if I want to say "I come from Malaysia." Should the sentence be 我来自马来西亚。or 我是从马来西亚来的。? </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-02T06:56:31.013Z
来自 is mostly used for 书面语。
Coral
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-06-04T03:00:04.960Z
There can't be a strict line, that's not how human language work.
炸鱼薯条德里克
<meaning><usage><sentence-structure>
Is 来自 a 口语 or 书面语?
# Is 来自 a 口语 or 书面语?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-06-02)

Is 来自 used in daily conversations? For example, if I want to say "I come from Malaysia." Should the sentence be 我来自马来西亚。or 我是从马来西亚来的。?

**Tags:** meaning, usage, sentence-structure

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 来自 is mostly used for 书面语。  
> **username_2**: There can't be a strict line, that's not how human language work.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-06-02. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

For people, 来自(came from) is more literary than colloquial, As your example stated 我来自马来西亚 is more literary and 我是从马来西亚来的 is more colloquial

However, for objects, 来自 is a common preposition for 'from' in day to day speech

Example:

這些橙**来自**加州 - These oranges are **from** California (the oranges didn't come here on their own, someone delivered them)

這病毒**來自**非洲 - This virus is **from** Africa (the virus didn't travel on it's own, someone carried it)


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