Chinese Conversation · Level 75
90 words
Chinese word
之所以
Pronunciation
Pinyinzhī suǒ yǐ
Meaning
- conjunctionthe reason why
Example
我之所以来晚了，是因为路上堵车。wǒ zhī suó yǐ lái wǎn le shì yīn wèi lù shàng dǔ chē
The reason I was late was that there was a traffic jam on the way.
More examples
这件事之所以重要，在于它关系到大家的利益。zhè jiàn shì zhī suó yǐ zhòng yào zài yú tā guān xì dào dà jiā de lì yì
The reason this matter is important lies in its connection to everyone's interests.
Core concept
A bridge from a stated situation or action to the reason that explains it.
Common phrases
之所以...是因为zhī suó yǐ shì yīn wèi
the reason ___ is that
之所以...在于zhī suó yǐ zài yú
the reason ___ lies in
Similar words
因为yīn wèi: Shows the cause of an event or the reason for a situation.
所以suó yǐ: Introduces a result or judgment that follows from a fact.
由于yóu yú: Shows the cause or circumstances behind an event, often at the beginning of a sentence.
Definition in Chinese
用于说明某一情况或动作背后的原因或动机，语义侧重对前述事实的解释与说明。yòng yú shuō míng mǒu yì qíng kuàng huò dòng zuò bèi hòu de yuán yīn huò dòng jī yǔ yì cè zhòng duì qián shù shì shí de jiě shì yǔ shuō míng
Word origin
The classical components 之 (zhī, "that") + 所 (suǒ, "that which") + 以 (yǐ, "by means of") combine to connect an earlier situation with the reason or motive that explains it.
Usage tips
- English learners may expect the cause to come first, but Chinese commonly presents the situation first and delays its cause until the next clause.