由 (yóu) - reason, cause & from, by

由Tone 2

yóu ｜ 5 strokes ｜ radical: 田

咏与

由 · yóu

reason, cause;

from, by;

through;

to follow;

to allow;

to be up to somebody

reason, causefrom, bythrough

Usage highlights

ReasonBecause ofFreedomTo pass throughOriginTo be up to

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 果— result, effect (antonym in cause-effect relationship)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The reason is unknown (理由不明).
  • This is due to your help (由于你的帮助).
  • We must follow the rules (必须由规则).
  • It's up to you to decide (由你决定).

Collocations

  • Reason(理由)
  • Because of(由于)
  • Freedom(自由)
  • To pass through(经由)
  • Origin(由来)
  • To be up to(由...决定)

Idioms

  • To have no alternative(不由自主)
  • Freedom of action(自由自在)
  • To have a clear line of descent(由来已久)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted a container for holding offerings, later extended to mean 'origin' or 'cause'.
  • Frequently used in philosophical and logical contexts to denote causality and reasoning.
  • Appears in many compound words related to freedom, reason, and origin in modern Chinese.

FAQ