1
the place/source whence
whence 在此用作关系副词，相当于 from which。
He returned to the village whence he had come.
他回到了他当初来的那个村庄。
从何处；从哪里；何以
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
从何处；从哪里；何以
from what place, source, or cause
He returned to the village whence he had come.
他回到了他当初来的那个村庄。
从何处、来源或原因
from what place, source, or cause
We returned to the village whence we had come.
我们回到了我们来的那个村庄。
Whence did you get this information?
你从何处得到这个消息？
He could not explain whence his fear arose.
他无法解释他的恐惧从何而来。
whence 在此用作关系副词，相当于 from which。
He returned to the village whence he had come.
他回到了他当初来的那个村庄。
用于正式或文学语境中提问来源或原因。
Whence did this tradition originate?
这个传统源自何处？
Not this
Whence you came?
Use this
Whence did you come?
Whence 是副词，在疑问句中需要助动词 'did' 构成倒装。直陈语序 'You came whence?' 需改为疑问语序。
Not this
He returned to the place whence he came from.
Use this
He returned to the place whence he came.
Whence 本身已表示 'from where'，因此后面不能再加介词 'from'。去掉 'from' 句子才正确。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
源自哪里；从那个地方
They returned to the cottage from whence they had set out.
他们回到了他们出发时的村舍。
从何而来；源于何处
Whence comes this sudden interest in history?
对历史突然产生的兴趣从何而来？
它的来源；它来自哪里
The detective tried to trace the anonymous letter to the place whence it came.
侦探试图追踪这封匿名信寄出的地方。
来自何处；从哪里
He returned to the village from whence he had fled.
他回到了自己逃离的那个村庄。
我们来的地方；我们的来历
We must never forget whence we came.
我们绝不能忘记自己从何而来。
它来的地方；原来的出处
Please put the book back to whence it came.
请把书放回它原来的地方。
你是从何处来，又是什么，这可憎的形体？
In Milton's Paradise Lost, Satan asks Death: 'Whence and what art thou, execrable shape?'
在弥尔顿的《失乐园》中，撒旦问死神：‘你是从何处来，又是什么，这可憎的形体？’
我们从何处来？我们是什么？我们往何处去？
The title of Paul Gauguin's famous painting asks: 'Whence come we? What are we? Whither go we?'
保罗·高更的著名画作标题问道：‘我们从何处来？我们是什么？我们往何处去？’
Use whence naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
把 whence 联想成 when（何时）后多一个 c（see），像在问‘从哪儿看到的来源？’——whence 就是‘从何处、出于何因’。
语域：formal 常见场景：文学或正式书面语、历史或修辞语境 whence 属于较正式的书面用词，通常出现在文学作品或正式文体中，口语中比较少见；现代英语中常用 where...from 或 why 等来替代。
现代英语中更常用 where...from 或 from where
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.