Chinese grammar: Expressing distance with 离 "li"

One of the ways to express distance is to use "离"(lí).

Structure:
Place1 + 离 + Place2 + Adverb + 近/远

 

So this pattern is normally used to simply express that one place is (not) close or (not) far from another place.

Examples:

Měiɡuó lí zhōnɡɡuó hěn yuǎn.
美国 离 中国 很 远。

America is far from China.

Nǐ lí wǒ yuǎn diǎn.
你 离 我 远 点。

Distance yourself from me further.

Note that the final example is a command, and a commonly heard line. The sentence means "distance yourself from me further," in other words, "stay away from me" or "don't come near me."