Meaning of 由于
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- due to
- as a result of
- thanks to
- owing to
- since
- because
How to use 由于
由于 introduces a cause and is more formal than 因为 (yīnwèi). It often appears at the start of a sentence, and the result can follow with 所以 or 因此. Example: 由于下雨，比赛取消了。(Yóuyú xià yǔ, bǐsài qǔxiāo le.) Because of the rain, the match was canceled.
由 (yóu) means "from" or "by way of," and 于 (yú) marks a point of reference, so 由于 literally points to where a result comes from: its cause. Picture 由 as a field 田 with a sprout pushing up through the top, showing where something grows out of.
Common mistake: Learners often write 由于 after the result, as in 比赛取消了由于下雨. This sounds unnatural. Put 由于 before the result, or use 因为 if you want the cause to come second (……是因为……). Also do not confuse 由 (yóu) with 田 (tián, field) or 甲 (jiǎ). In 由 the middle stroke pokes out the top.
由于 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
由 yóu · to follow · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
于 yú · to go · 3 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
Related words
Words that share a character with 由于.
| 自由 | zìyóu | freedom; liberty; free; unrestricted |
| 等于 | děngyú | to equal; to be tantamount to |
| 终于 | zhōngyú | at last; in the end |
| 理由 | lǐyóu | reason; grounds |
| 属于 | shǔyú | to belong to; to fall under (a category) |
| 关于 | guānyú | pertaining to; concerning |
| 对于 | duìyú | regarding; as far as (sth) is concerned; with regard to |
| 于是 | yúshì | thereupon; as a result; consequently; thus; hence |
| 处于 | chǔyú | to be in (some state, position, or condition) |
| 在于 | zàiyú | to rest with; to lie in; to be due to (a certain attribute); (of a matter) to be determine |
| 位于 | wèiyú | to be located at; to be situated at |
| 善于 | shànyú | to be good at; to be adept at |
Questions about 由于
What does 由于 mean?
由于 (yóuyú) means "due to; as a result of" and is used as a preposition and conjunction.
How do you write 由于?
由于 is made of 2 characters: 由 (5 strokes), 于 (3 strokes). That is 8 strokes in total.
Is 由于 an HSK word?
Yes. 由于 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 由于 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 由于 is written 由於.
What is the difference between 由于 and 因为?
Both mean "because." 由于 is more formal and common in writing and news. It pairs well with 因此 (yīncǐ). 因为 is more conversational and can introduce a cause after the main clause.
Can 由于 be followed by a noun instead of a full clause?
Yes. As a preposition it can take a noun phrase, as in 由于天气原因 (yóuyú tiānqì yuányīn), "due to weather reasons." As a conjunction it takes a full clause.