Lessons 14, 19, 26: The prepositions 由 and 由于

由 indicates who or which department is responsible, or means "from"; 由于 indicates a cause and differs from 因为 in position and in the words it combines with.

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这件事由学校外事处负责。

Zhè jiàn shì yóu xuéxiào wàishìchù fùzé.

This matter is handled by the school's foreign affairs office.

Explanation

由 ("by")

The preposition “由” indicates that some matter is done by a certain person (介词“由”表示某事归某人去做), and usually serves with its object as an adverbial in the sentence. For example: 我们家大事由我决定，小事由妻子做主; 这件事由学校外事处负责.

由 = 从 ("from")

in the sentence 多年前的一场意外，使我由正常人变成了一个残疾人, 由 means 从, "from": from a normal person into a disabled person.

由于 ("due to, because of")

A. The preposition “由于” indicates a cause. It can be placed after “是”, and can also go before or after the subject. B. The conjunction “由于” also indicates a cause and is synonymous with “因为”; but in spoken language “因为” is usually used and “由于” is rarely used.

Comparing “由于” and “因为”: the conjunction “由于” can be combined with “因此” and “因而” in one sentence, whereas “因为” cannot. “因为” can be used in the second clause, but “由于” cannot.

Structure

1
由người / bộ phậnVverb
“由” with its object serves as an adverbial; it indicates that the matter is assigned to a certain person to do, decide or be responsible for (某事归某人去做).
- 我们家大事由我决定，小事由妻子做主。
  Wǒmen jiā dàshì yóu wǒ juédìng, xiǎoshì yóu qīzi zuòzhǔ.
  In my family, big matters are decided by me, and small matters by my wife.
- 这件事由学校外事处负责。
  Zhè jiàn shì yóu xuéxiào wàishìchù fùzé.
  This matter is handled by the school's foreign affairs office.
- 这个代表团由他担任团长。
  Zhège dàibiǎotuán yóu tā dānrèn tuánzhǎng.
  This delegation is headed by him.
2
由A变成B
“由” here means “从” (from): it indicates a change from A into B.
- 多年前的一场意外，使我由正常人变成了一个残疾人。
  Duō nián qián de yì chǎng yìwài, shǐ wǒ yóu zhèngchángrén biànchéngle yí gè cánjírén.
  An accident many years ago turned me from a normal person into a disabled person.
3
(是) 由于nguyên nhân
A. The preposition “由于” indicates a cause; it can be placed after “是”, and can also go before or after the subject. B. The conjunction “由于” also indicates a cause, meaning the same as “因为”, but in spoken language “因为” is usually used and “由于” is rarely used.
- 他不参加是由于最近身体不太好。
  Tā bù cānjiā shì yóuyú zuìjìn shēntǐ bú tài hǎo.
  His not taking part is due to his rather poor health lately.
- 由于多年劳累，他得了一身病。
  Yóuyú duōnián láolèi, tā déle yì shēn bìng.
  Because of years of overwork, he is full of ailments.
- 由于古时候女子不能上学读书，祝英台常常靠在窗前，望着大街上背着书包来来往往的人，心里非常羡慕。
  Yóuyú gǔshíhou nǚzǐ bù néng shàngxué dúshū, Zhù Yīngtái chángcháng kào zài chuāng qián, wàngzhe dàjiē shàng bèizhe shūbāo láilái-wǎngwǎng de rén, xīnlǐ fēicháng xiànmù.
  Because girls were not allowed to go to school in ancient times, Zhu Yingtai often leaned by the window, watching people carrying book bags pass by on the street, filled with admiration.
4
由于……，因此/因而/所以…… | ……，因为……
The conjunction “由于” can be combined with “因此” and “因而” in one sentence, while “因为” cannot; “因为” can be used in the second clause, while “由于” cannot.
- 由于她学习非常刻苦，因而考上了一个好大学。
  Yóuyú tā xuéxí fēicháng kèkǔ, yīn'ér kǎoshàngle yí gè hǎo dàxué.
  Because she studied very hard, she got into a good university.
- 他所以也搬到这个小区来住，因为这里安静，离上班的地方近。
  Tā suǒyǐ yě bāndào zhège xiǎoqū lái zhù, yīnwèi zhèlǐ ānjìng, lí shàngbān de dìfang jìn.
  The reason he also moved into this neighborhood is that it is quiet here and close to where he works.
- 由于这个故事非常感人，所以一直在民间流传。
  Yóuyú zhège gùshi fēicháng gǎnrén, suǒyǐ yìzhí zài mínjiān liúchuán.
  Because this story is so moving, it has been passed down among the people for generations.

Common mistakes

~~因为她学习非常刻苦，因而考上了一个好大学~~
“因为” does not combine with “因而” or “因此”; use 由于……，因而……
~~他所以也搬到这个小区来住，由于这里安静，离上班的地方近~~
“由于” is not used in the second clause; use 因为 in the second clause

Practice

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