因 yīn because
cause; because; reason
How to remember 因: 囗 enclosed + 大 big = because. Inside the enclosed garden sits a big dog with mud on its nose, and the holes are all there because of him.
Component breakdown
因 = 囗 enclosed + 大 big
- 囗 enclosed
- 大 big
Inside the enclosed garden sits a big dog with mud on its nose, and the holes are all there because of him.
How it came to be
A person lying spread out on a mat, the mat drawn as the box around them. What a thing rests on is what it is on account of.
How it is used
- Half of 因为 (yīnwèi) = "because" - 因为下雨 (yīnwèi xià yǔ) because it rained. Pairs up with 所以 (suǒyǐ, so).
- In writing, 因此 (yīncǐ) and 因而 (yīn'ér) both mean "therefore"; the noun 原因 (yuányīn) is the "cause/reason".
Characters built with 因
Words with 因
Example sentences
- 因为我病了，所以没去上学。 Yīnwèi wǒ bìng le, suǒyǐ méi qù shàngxué.I didn't go to school because I got sick.
- 因为太冷，她感冒了。 Yīnwèi tài lěng, tā gǎnmào le.It's so cold that she caught a cold.
- 你迟到是什么原因？ Nǐ chídào shì shénme yuányīn?What's your reason for being late?
- 下雨，因此比赛延期了。 Xiàyǔ, yīncǐ bǐsài yánqī le.The game will be postponed because it's raining.