Chinese–EnglishWith examples

原因

yuán yīn · yuan yin

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 2Old HSK 4Measure word: 个 gè

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. cause
  2. origin
  3. root cause
  4. reason
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In a conversation

0:20 cartoon

Reason for closing

  1. Dengdeng

    这家(zhèjiā)小(xiǎo)店(diàn)今天(jīntiān)不(bù)开门(kāimén)。

    This little shop is closed today.

  2. Liangliang

    有(yǒu)什么(shénme)原因(yuányīn)吗(ma)？

    Is there a reason?

  3. Dengdeng

    你(nǐ)看(kàn)，门(mén)上(shàng)写(xiě)着(zhe)：“原因(yuányīn)：老板(lǎobǎn)想(xiǎng)看(kàn)海(hǎi)。”

    Look, the door says: "Reason: the owner wants to see the sea."

  4. Liangliang

    这个(zhège)原因(yuányīn)真(zhēn)好(hǎo)！

    That's a really good reason!

  5. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)也(yě)想(xiǎng)看(kàn)海(hǎi)，我们(wǒmen)去(qù)吧(ba)？

    I want to see the sea too. Shall we go?

  6. Liangliang

    好(hǎo)，我们(wǒmen)的(de)原因(yuányīn)也(yě)是(shì)想(xiǎng)看(kàn)海(hǎi)！

    OK, our reason is wanting to see the sea too!

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

你(nǐ)不(bù)想(xiǎng)知(zhī)道(dào)原(yuán)因(yīn)吗(ma)？

Don't you want to know the reason?

Tatoeba: Chinese by vicch · English by alec · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

飞(fēi)机(jī)晚(wǎn)点(diǎn)的(de)原(yuán)因(yīn)是(shì)天(tiān)气(qì)不(bù)好(hǎo)。

The reason the flight was delayed is that the weather was bad.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

The characters

Explore individually
原
yuán

former; original

因
yīn

cause; reason

Individual character meanings do not always explain the meaning of a whole word.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

More words starting with YExplore words in context