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    Chinese Grammar

    Expressing "due to" with the preposition 由于 (yóuyú)

    HSK 4
    Causation
    Purpose & Reason

    Structure

    由于 + Cause, Result Clause

    Explanation

    由于 (yóuyú) is a preposition meaning "due to," "owing to," or "because of," used to introduce a cause or reason. It typically appears at the beginning of a sentence or clause, followed by the causal factor. It is more formal than 因为 and is common in written Chinese and news reports.

    Examples

    • 由于天气原因，航班取消了。

      yóuyú tiānqì yuányīn, hángbān qǔxiāo le.

      The flight was canceled due to weather.

    • 由于工作太忙，他很少有时间陪家人。

      yóuyú gōngzuò tài máng, tā hěn shǎo yǒu shíjiān péi jiārén.

      Because he's too busy with work, he rarely has time to spend with his family.

    • 由于交通拥堵，我们迟到了半小时。

      yóuyú jiāotōng yōngdǔ, wǒmen chídào le bàn xiǎoshí.

      Due to traffic congestion, we were half an hour late.

    Similar Grammar

    Expressing "due to" with the preposition 由于 (yóuyú) | Chinese Grammar