因故 (yīn gù) — for some reason or other; due to some reason

Definition

verb
for some reason or otherdue to some reason

Examples

  • 因故。
    Bǐ sài yīn gù tuī chí le.
    The game was postponed for some reason.
  • 。
    Tā yīn gù wèi néng chū xí.
    He was unable to attend for some reason.
  • 因故。
    Háng bān yīn gù yán wù.
    The flight was delayed due to some reason.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

因yīndue to
故gùreason

因 means due to, and 故 means reason, so the word describes something happening because of some reason.

Characters in this word

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

  • 囗囗wéisheet
  • 大大dàperson

Originally, 因 showed 大 (a person) on 囗 (a sheet or mattress).

Open 因 →

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
攵Written in full as攴pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
古
古gǔ故gù
Same sound today

故 uses 古 for the sound and 攵, written in full as 攴, for the meaning.

Open 故 →

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