缘由 (yuán yóu) — reason, cause | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Formal, written term for the underlying reason or cause of something. Heavier and more literary than 原因, and not used in casual speech.

noun

reasoncause

缘由。
Tā yì zhí méi yǒu shuō míng yuán yóu.
He never explained the reason.
缘由。
Wǒ men yīng dāng chá míng shì qing de yuán yóu.
We should find out the cause of the matter.
缘由。
Zhè qí zhōng de yuán yóu hěn fù zá.
The reasons behind this are very complex.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

缘 and 由 both point to cause or reason, so together they mean reason or cause.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 緣; 缘 is its simplified writing.

糹彖緣

Meaning part形符xíngfú

糹Written in full as糸mì

Sound part声符shēngfú

彖

彖tuàn緣⁰yuán

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 緣 puts 糸 (silk) beside 彖, which gives the sound; the simplified 缘 is a later abbreviation.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

It began as a drawing of new shoots or leaves growing upward from a plant-like base.

Appears in