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以至于 (yǐ zhì yú) — to the extent that, so much so that

Definition

Formal conjunction meaning 'so much so that' — links a cause to a resulting extreme or outcome. Tone is more written than 以致 and more extreme than 甚至.

conjunction
to the extent thatso much so that

Examples

  • ，以至于。
    Tā tài lèi le, yǐ zhì yú yì huí jiā jiù shuì zháo le.
    He was so tired that he fell asleep as soon as he got home.
  • ，以至于。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng tài gǎn rén le, yǐ zhì yú hěn duō guān zhòng dōu liú xià le yǎn lèi.
    This movie was so moving that many audience members shed tears.
  • ，以至于。
    Shì qing biàn huà dé tài kuài, yǐ zhì yú wǒ men dōu méi fǎn yìng guò lái.
    Things changed so fast that we didn't have time to react.

Origin

Characters in this word

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

The shape came from a drawing of a person carrying something; in 以, part of that person is still visible on the right.

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An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

至 is drawn as an arrow stuck into the ground.

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

  • 一一yīflat stream of air
  • 丂丂kǎoto exhale

The old shape of 于 may have pictured an ancient wind instrument. Another explanation reads 一 as a flat stream of air and 丂 as an exhaling mark.

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Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Cause, Effect & Logic

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