Chinese word

所以

Pronunciation

Pinyinsuǒ yǐ

Meaning

  • conjunctionso

Example

我很累，所以我要休息。wǒ hěn lèi suó yǐ wǒ yào xiū xī

I am very tired, so I want to rest.

Illustration for 所以 (so)

More examples

今天下雨，所以我们改天再去。jīn tiān xià yǔ suó yǐ wǒ men gǎi tiān zài qù

It is raining today, so we will go another day.

Core concept

A signpost that points from a cause to the conclusion that follows from it.

Common phrases

  • 因为...，所以...yīn wèi suó yǐ

    because ___, so ___

  • 所以要...suó yǐ yào

    so must ___

  • 所以不...suó yǐ bù

    so do not ___

Similar words

因为yīn wèi: Gives the reason why something happens or is true.
然后rán hòu: Marks the next event or action in a series.
那么nà me: Responds to the situation just described with a related action or conclusion.
但是dàn shì: Introduces an opposing idea or an exception to the earlier statement.

Definition in Chinese

用来连接表示原因的一句与表示结果的一句，表示因此、所以的因果关系，常见于口语和书面语。yòng lái lián jiē biǎo shì yuán yīn de yí jù yǔ biǎo shì jié guǒ de yí jù biǎo shì yīn cǐ suó yǐ de yīn guǒ guān xì cháng jiàn yú kóu yǔ hé shū miàn yǔ

Word origin

In older Chinese, 所以 (suǒyǐ, "so") expressed the reason or means by which something happened, and this idea later grew into its modern linking use.

Usage tips

  • In the pattern 因为 (yīnwèi, "because") ... 所以 (suǒyǐ, "so"), the first part gives the reason and the second part gives the result.

Other meanings

  • as a resultconjunction
  • that's whyconjunction

Opposites

Word lists with this word