Question

What is the difference between “因(yīn)为(wéi)”(because) and “由(yóu)于(yú)”(because)？

Answer 1

1. Both “因为”(because) and “由于”(because) can indicate the causal logic of the events. However, the casual logic of the sentence with “因(yīn)为(wéi)” is stronger. And when the casual logic of the sentence is from the result to the reason, we would use 因(yīn)为(wéi) rather than 由(yóu)于(yú).

For instance,

(这zhè)家(jiā)    饭(fàn)店(diàn)    非(fēi)常(cháng)  受(shòu)欢(huān)迎(yíng)，  因(yīn)为(wéi)  这(zhè)里(lǐ)的(de)  

      This               restaurant              very                   popular                                 because          here

饺(jiǎo)子(zi)   特(tè)别(bié)  好(hào)吃(chī)

   dumplings         very          delicious

(This restaurant is very popular, because the dumplings here are very delicious)

2. When answering the question of “why”, we should use 因(yīn)为(wéi) rather than 由(yóu)于(yú)

为(wèi)什(shén)么(me)   他(tā)   不(bù)高(gāo)兴(xìng)？   因(yīn)为(wéi)    他(tā)   丢(diū)了(le)   他(tā)的(de)   手(shǒu)机(jī)。

          Why                      he             unhappy                      Because            he            lost                his               phone

(Why he is unhappy? Because he lost his phone)

Tips: If you are a Chinese learner at elementary or intermediate level, try to use "因为" when you are not sure.

Comments

The two conjunction pairs both could be used to connect two clauses of a causative relation, with the former clause being the cause and the latter as the result. But the conjunctive pair yóu yú…, yǐ zhì…(由于…,以致…) can only introduce undesirable or adverse consequences, while the use of yīn wéi…, suǒ yǐ…(因为…,所以…) has no such semantic limit.
因为治疗及时, 所以他的病很快就好了。
yīn wéi zhì liáo jí shí, suǒ yǐ tā de bìng hěn kuài jiù hǎo le.
Because the treatment was timely, he soon recovered from his illness
*由于治疗及时,以致他的病很快就好了。
 yóu yú zhì liáo jí shí ,yǐ zhì tā de bìng hěn kuài jiù hǎo le
   When illustrating the same situation, the use of yīn wéi…, suǒ yǐ…(因为…,所以…) focuses more on the cause, but the structure yóu yú…, yǐ zhì…(由于…,以致…) takes the result as the emphasis.
由于他的腿受了重伤, 以致他几个月都无法正常行动。
    yóu yú tā de tuǐ shòu le zhòng shāng, yǐ zhì tā jǐ gè yuè dōu wú fǎ zhèng cháng xíng dòng.
His leg was so badly injured that he couldn't move normally for months.
因为他的腿受了重伤, 所以他几个月都无法正常行动。
yīn wéi tā de tuǐ shòu le zhòng shāng, suǒ yǐ tā jǐ gè yuè dōu wú fǎ zhèng cháng xíng dòng
Because his leg was badly injured, he couldn't move normally for months.