理由

• Pinyin: lǐ yóu
• Hanzi breakdown: 理 = 王 (jade) + 里 (village), meaning reason; 由 = a pictograph of a sprout emerging from a field, meaning from or due to

Meaning

Reason; justification; grounds. The cause or explanation for doing something.

Used to express the reason behind an action or decision. Very common in daily conversation. Slightly more formal than 原因 (cause) in that 理由 implies justification — a reason that one can defend. Often used in phrases like 没有理由 (no reason to), 理由是 (the reason is), and 充分的理由 (sufficient reason).

Examples

1. 你迟到有什么理由？ What reason do you have for being late?
2. 他的理由听起来很合理。 His reason sounds quite reasonable.
3. 没有理由不去尝试一下。 There's no reason not to give it a try.

Usage Guide

Context: explanation, argument, daily life

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你能告诉我理由吗？(Can you tell me the reason?)
• 这不是一个好理由。(That's not a good reason.)

Don't Say

• 我有理由因为我生病了。(Don't use 理由 followed by 因为 — they overlap in meaning. Say 我的理由是我生病了 or simply 因为我生病了.)

Origin & History

理 means logic or reason; 由 means from or due to. Together: the logical source — the reasoned basis for something.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal