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Using 在于 (zàiyú) in bound clauses to express "lies in"
HSK 5Structure
Subject + 在于 + Clause
Explanation
在于 (zàiyú) in bound or extended clauses means "lies in" or "depends on," emphasizing the core reason or determining factor within a larger sentence structure. It is often used in formal contexts to explain what something fundamentally depends on. The phrase following 在于 identifies the essential element.
Examples
一个团队能否成功，在于成员之间是否相互信任。
Yī gè tuánduì néng fǒu chénggōng, zàiyú chéngyuán zhījiān shìfǒu xiānghù xìnrèn.
Whether a team can succeed depends on whether its members trust each other.
生活的幸福不在于拥有多少，而在于你是否知足。
Shēnghuó de xìngfú bù zàiyú yōngyǒu duōshǎo, ér zàiyú nǐ shìfǒu zhīzú.
Happiness in life doesn't lie in how much you have, but in whether you are content.
产品的竞争力在于它能为用户解决什么问题。
Chǎnpǐn de jìngzhēnglì zàiyú tā néng wèi yònghù jiějué shénme wèntí.
A product's competitiveness lies in what problems it can solve for users.