缘故

• Pinyin: yuán gù
• Hanzi breakdown: 缘 = 纟(silk) + 彖, meaning cause/fate; 故 = 古 (old) + 攵, meaning reason/old

Meaning

Reason; cause. The underlying reason or cause for something happening.

A slightly literary way to express 'reason.' Common patterns: 什么缘故 (what reason), 由于...的缘故 (due to the reason of...), 不知什么缘故 (don't know the reason). Interchangeable with 原因 but sounds more traditional.

Examples

1. 不知什么缘故，他今天一直心情不好。 For some unknown reason, he has been in a bad mood all day.
2. 由于天气的缘故，航班延误了三个小时。 Due to the weather, the flight was delayed by three hours.
3. 她离开公司的缘故至今没人说得清楚。 The reason she left the company is still unclear to anyone.

Usage Guide

Context: explanation, narration

Tone: literary

Do Say

• 什么缘故让你这么决定？(What reason led you to this decision?)
• 由于这个缘故，我不得不改变计划。(For this reason, I had to change my plans.)

Don't Say

• 缘故是什么 — 语序不对，要说'什么缘故'或'是什么缘故'

Origin & History

Compound of 缘 (cause, fate) + 故 (reason, old). Both characters relate to cause or reason, combining for emphasis.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal