事出有因 (shì chū yǒu yīn) — there is good reason for something; nothing hap…

Definition

Chengyu meaning 'nothing happens without a cause' — used to defend or explain a surprising event by pointing to a real reason behind it.

idiom

there is good reason for somethingnothing happens without a cause

Examples

事出有因。
Tā de cí zhí xiǎng bì shì chū yǒu yīn.
His resignation must have a reason.
事出有因，。
Zhè cì chōng tū shì chū yǒu yīn, bú huì wú yuán wú gù.
This conflict has a reason; it won't be without cause.
，事出有因。
Tā tū rán bān jiā, wǒ rèn wéi shì chū yǒu yīn.
She suddenly moved—I think there is a good reason.

Origin

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

又又yòuhand
中中zhōnga flagpole with a drum

In 事, 又 is a hand and 中 is a flagpole with a drum; holding a flag in hand depicts performing a job.

Open 事 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

止止zhǐfoot
凵凵kǎncave

出 combines 止 (foot) and 凵 (cave) to show a foot stepping out of a cave.

Open 出 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

肉肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

又

又yòu有yǒu

Same sound today

The form 有 combines 又, used for its sound, with a shape from 肉, 'meat'; the hand-holding-meat story is a folk explanation, not shown in the oldest shape.

Open 有 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

囗大因