因為 / 因为
yīnwèi
The English word 'because' is translated into Chinese as 因為 / 因为 (yīnwèi). If unsure, use 因為 / 因为. Wiktionary also lists 由於 / 由于 (yóuyú) and 因 (yīn).
Meaning: by or for the cause that, on this account that, for the reason that (conj)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 因為 / 因为 | yīnwèi |
| 由於 / 由于 | yóuyú |
| 因 | yīn |
These terms are used to express the reason or cause for something. The word order typically follows the pattern of 'because/due to + reason'.
Which one should you use?
因為 / 因为 is the most common and standard way to express 'because'. 由於 / 由于 is a more formal version that functions similarly to 'due to' or 'owing to'. The single character 因 is a more concise and formal way to express 'because of' or 'due to', frequently appearing in written classical or formal modern Chinese.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In Chinese, the 'because' part (因為) is frequently paired with a 'therefore' part (所以) in the following clause to complete the cause-and-effect structure.
How do you pronounce it?
yīnwèi
Did you know?
- The character 因 shares a historical connection to the concept of a 'mat' or 'cushion', as its ancient form depicted a person on a layered sheet.
- In spoken Chinese, the pairing of 因為 and 所以 is sometimes shortened by dropping the 因為 entirely, as the presence of 所以 already implies a preceding cause.
- In highly formal or classical Chinese, the word 因 can be used not just to show a cause, but as a preposition meaning 'starting from' or 'taking advantage of' a specific situation.
Examples in context
- 因為我會說中文。The reason is because I can speak Chinese.This sentence shows how to use 因 to state a reason.Tatoeba #1476142 by egg0073, translation #24654 by Objectivesea
- 她不在是因为病了。She is absent because of sickness.This sentence shows how to use 因 to explain an absence.Tatoeba #1891665 by sadhen, translation #316684 by saeb
- 因为你我们才迟了。It's because of you that we were late.This sentence shows how to use 因 to attribute a delay to a person.Tatoeba #5613617 by verdastelo9604, translation #954073 by CK
- 我喜欢她，因为她很聪明。I like her because she is smart.
- 我喜欢他，因为他很幽默。I like him because he is funny.
- 因为他很努力，所以他考试考得很好。Because he works hard, he did well on the exam.
- 由于雨下得很大，赛车比赛被取消了。The car race was canceled because of heavy rain.
- 她哭了，因为她的朋友离开了。She cried because her friend left.
- 266 more sentences on Tatoeba
Sources
- Wiktionary, “because” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 因, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
