由

• 拼音: yóu
• 汉字拆解: 由 = pictograph, originally depicting something emerging from a source, meaning 'from' or 'by'

含义

By; from; due to. A preposition indicating the agent, cause, or origin of an action.

Functions as a preposition with several uses: to indicate who performs an action (由他负责 = handled by him), to indicate cause (由于 = due to), or to indicate a starting point (由北到南 = from north to south). Very common in both spoken and written Chinese.

例句

1. 这件事由我来负责。
2. 会议的时间由老板决定。
3. 你不能由别人替你做决定。

用法指南

语境: work, official, everyday

语气: neutral

正确说法

• 这个项目由王老师负责。(This project is handled by Teacher Wang.)
• 由你来选吧。(You choose. / It's up to you.)

错误说法

• 我由北京来的。(When expressing where you come from, say 我从北京来的 — use 从 for physical origin in everyday speech)

起源与历史

Originally a pictograph possibly depicting oil flowing from a container, later extended to mean 'from' or 'by.'

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal