原因

• Pinyin: yuán yīn
• Hanzi breakdown: 原 = 厂 (cliff) + 泉 (spring), meaning 'source/origin'; 因 = 口 (enclosure) + 大 (big), meaning 'cause/because'

Meaning

Reason; cause. The explanation or motive behind something happening.

Used to ask about or explain why something happened. Very common in both spoken and written Chinese. Often used in patterns like 原因是... (the reason is...) and ...的原因 (the reason for...). Slightly more formal than 为什么 but widely used in everyday speech.

Examples

1. 迟到的原因是路上堵车了。 The reason for being late was traffic on the road.
2. 你知道他生气的原因吗？ Do you know the reason he's angry?
3. 医生想了解生病的原因。 The doctor wants to understand the cause of the illness.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, academic, work

Tone: informational

Do Say

• 请告诉我原因。(Please tell me the reason.)
• 失败的原因有很多。(There are many reasons for the failure.)

Don't Say

• 原因为什么？(Don't combine 原因 with 为什么 — they're redundant. Say 原因是什么 or just 为什么.)

Origin & History

Compound of 原 (source/origin) and 因 (cause/reason), literally 'the original cause' — the root explanation for something.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal