Definition
以 (yǐ) is a formal, very common preposition and conjunction in written Chinese. As a preposition it means 'by means of/using' or 'according to/based on', whereas the siblings 根据 and 按 are the everyday words for 'according to'. As a conjunction it means 'in order to, so as to' — this use is more literary than the common 为了, and 以便 is even more formal.
preposition
by means ofusingaccording tobased on
conjunction
in order toso as to
Easily confused
- 一yīsound-alikeone; a (used before measure words)
- 已yǐsound-alikealready
- 移yísound-aliketo move, to shift
- 亿yìsound-alike100 million
- 依yīsound-alike(verb) to rely on, to depend on
- 亦yìsound-alikealso; as well
- 乙yǐsound-alikesecond of the ten Heavenly Stems (天干); second in order; B
- 姨yísound-alikematernal aunt (mother's sister)
- 溢yìsound-alike(verb) to overflow, to spill over
- 议yìsound-aliketo discuss; to deliberate
Examples
- 以。Wǒmen yǐ zhìliàng qiú shēngcún.We rely on quality for survival.
- 以。Tā yǐ dì yī míng de chéngjì kǎo shàng le dàxué.He got into university with the first-place score.
- ，以。Tā nǔlì xuéxí, yǐ tōngguò kǎoshì.He studies hard in order to pass the exam.
Grammar
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