由于

yóuyú

Meaning

由于 states a cause: “because of”, “due to”. It works two ways: 1. As a conjunction — a full clause follows. 2. As a preposition — a noun or noun phrase follows.

1. 由于 + Clause

由于 + Reason, Result.

今(Jīn)年(nián)春(Chūn)节(jié)他(tā)们(men)本(běn)来(lái)打(dǎ)算(suàn)出(chū)国(guó)去(qù)逛(guàng)逛(guang)，但(dàn)是(shì)由(yóu)于(yú)家(jiā)里(lǐ)的(de)老(lǎo)人(rén)突(tū)然(rán)生(shēng)病(bìng)了(le)，所(suǒ)以(yǐ)他(tā)们(men)只(zhǐ)好(hǎo)放(fàng)弃(qì)了(le)这(zhè)个(ge)计(jì)划(huà)。

They had planned to travel abroad this Spring Festival, but because an elderly relative fell suddenly ill, they had to give the plan up.

当(Dāng)你(nǐ)生(shēng)病(bìng)了(le)，如(rú)果(guǒ)由(yóu)于(yú)缺(quē)钱(qián)而(ér)不(bù)能(néng)及(jí)时(shí)去(qù)看(kàn)医(yī)生(shēng)，你(nǐ)的(de)健(jiàn)康(kāng)都(dōu)很(hěn)难(nán)得(dé)到(dào)保(bǎo)证(zhèng)，就(jiù)更(gèng)别(bié)说(shuō)幸(xìng)福(fú)了(le)。

If you fall ill and can't see a doctor in time for lack of money, even your health can't be assured — let alone your happiness.

2. 由于 + Noun

由于 + Noun / Noun phrase, Result.

由(Yóu)于(yú)种(zhǒng)种(zhǒng)原(yuán)因(yīn)，我(wǒ)们(men)不(bù)得(dé)不(bù)改(gǎi)变(biàn)原(yuán)来(lái)的(de)计(jì)划(huà)。

For various reasons we had to change our original plan.

由(Yóu)于(yú)工(gōng)作(zuò)的(de)需(xū)要(yào)，我(wǒ)去(qù)年(nián)十(shí)月(yuè)去(qù)了(le)趟(tàng)上(Shàng)海(hǎi)，跟(gēn)一(yī)家(jiā)公(gōng)司(sī)去(qù)谈(tán)生(shēng)意(yi)。

Work required it, so last October I made a trip to Shanghai to talk business with a company.

由于 vs. 因为

由(Yóu)于(yú)天(tiān)气(qì)不(bù)好(hǎo)，比(bǐ)赛(sài)取(qǔ)消(xiāo)了(le)。

The match was cancelled due to the bad weather.

因(Yīn)为(wèi)天(tiān)气(qì)不(bù)好(hǎo)，比(bǐ)赛(sài)取(qǔ)消(xiāo)了(le)。

The match was cancelled because the weather was bad.

由于 → belongs to formal, written style. 因为 → sounds more natural in everyday speech. Same meaning; the difference is register.

Remember: 由于 = because of, due to. 由于 + clause → a full reason clause follows. 由于 + noun → a noun phrase follows. More formal than 因为.