缘故

• 拼音: yuán gù
• 汉字拆解: 缘 = 纟(silk) + 彖, meaning cause/fate; 故 = 古 (old) + 攵, meaning reason/old

含义

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.

例句

1. 不知什么缘故，他今天一直心情不好。
2. 由于天气的缘故，航班延误了三个小时。
3. 她离开公司的缘故至今没人说得清楚。

用法指南

语境: explanation, narration

语气: literary

正确说法

• 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.)

错误说法

• 缘故是什么 — 语序不对，要说'什么缘故'或'是什么缘故'

起源与历史

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

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal