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所以 (suǒ yǐ) — so, therefore, as a result

Definition

所以 is the basic everyday 'so / therefore', used in speech and writing to draw a conclusion from what came before. More formal/literary than 因此 and 于是, which are written-style equivalents.

conjunction
sothereforeas a result

Examples

  • ，所以。
    Wǒ gǎn mào le, suǒ yǐ méi qù xué xiào.
    I caught a cold, so I didn't go to school.
  • ，所以。
    Tā xǐ huan chàng gē, suǒ yǐ měi tiān liàn xí.
    She likes singing, so she practices every day.
  • ，所以。
    Zhè ge píng guǒ hěn hǎo chī, suǒ yǐ wǒ mǎi le hěn duō.
    This apple is very tasty, so I bought a lot.

Origin

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
斤斤jīnaxe
Sound part声符shēngfú
戶
戶hù所suǒ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

所 pairs 斤, an axe, with 戶, which gives the sound hù; the old meaning was the sound of logging.

Open 所 →

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.

Open 以 →

Grammar

Appears in
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