“由于” as Conjunction and Preposition

In Chinese, “由于” (yóuyú) has two functions: as a conjunction it states a cause; as a preposition it states a cause or grounds.

How it is translated

most often: because of … owing to … since …

1. “由于” as a conjunction

“由于” opens the first clause of a complex sentence and states the cause. The second clause usually begins with “所以” or “因此”.

Basic structure

由于 + cause，所以 / 因此 + result

Meaning

since …, therefore …

在(Zài)中(Zhōng)国(guó)，由(yóu)于(yú)很(hěn)多(duō)刚(gāng)工(gōng)作(zuò)的(de)年(nián)轻(qīng)人(rén)工(gōng)资(zī)还(hái)不(bú)太(tài)高(gāo)，所(suǒ)以(yǐ)他(tā)们(men)一(yì)开(kāi)始(shǐ)也(yě)不(bù)买(mǎi)房(fáng)，都(dōu)选(xuǎn)择(zé)租(zū)房(fáng)。

In China, since many young people who have just started working do not yet earn very much, at first they do not buy a home but choose to rent.

由于 + 很多刚工作的年轻人工资还不太高 since + many young people who just started working do not earn much yet

所以 + 他们一开始也不买房，都选择租房 so + at first they do not buy a home but choose to rent

由于 — because of … / since … 工资还不太高 — the salary is not yet very high 所以 — therefore 买房 — buy a home 租房 — rent a home

由(Yóu)于(yú)一(yì)直(zhí)下(xià)大(dà)雨(yǔ)，所(suǒ)以(yǐ)我(wǒ)们(men)决(jué)定(dìng)不(bù)爬(pá)山(shān)了(le)。

Since it kept raining heavily, we decided not to go climbing.

由于 + 一直下大雨 since + it kept raining heavily

所以 + 我们决定不爬山了 so + we decided not to go climbing

一直 — continuously / all the time 下大雨 — rain heavily 决定 — decide 不爬山了 — not go climbing after all

2. “由于” as a preposition

As a preposition, “由于” likewise states a cause or grounds.

Basic structure

由于 + cause，result

In this case “所以” is not required.

由(Yóu)于(yú)大(dà)家(jiā)的(de)努(nǔ)力(lì)，这(zhè)次(cì)运(yùn)动(dòng)会(huì)我(wǒ)们(men)班(bān)获(huò)得(dé)了(le)第(dì)一(yī)名(míng)。

Thanks to everyone’s effort, our class took first place at this sports meet.

由于 + 大家的努力 thanks to + everyone’s effort

我们班获得了第一名 our class took first place

大家的努力 — everyone’s effort 这次运动会 — this sports meet 我们班 — our class 获得了第一名 — took first place

Rule in brief

As a conjunction

由于 + cause，所以 / 因此 + result since …, therefore …

由(Yóu)于(yú)一(yì)直(zhí)下(xià)大(dà)雨(yǔ)，所(suǒ)以(yǐ)我(wǒ)们(men)决(jué)定(dìng)不(bù)爬(pá)山(shān)了(le)。

Since it kept raining heavily, we decided not to go climbing.

As a preposition

由于 + cause，result thanks to … / because of …

由(Yóu)于(yú)大(dà)家(jiā)的(de)努(nǔ)力(lì)，我(wǒ)们(men)班(bān)获(huò)得(dé)了(le)第(dì)一(yī)名(míng)。

Thanks to everyone’s effort, our class took first place.