Definition
在于 (zàiyú) means 'to lie in' or 'to consist in' — it identifies the essence or cause of something. It is more formal than 在乎 (zàihu 'to care about'), which is about personal concern. Unlike 取决 (qǔjué 'to depend on'), which focuses on a deciding factor, 在于 points to the inherent nature or reason.
verb
to lie into consist into depend onto rest with
Easily confused
- 至于zhì yúlook-alike(preposition) as for, as to, regarding (introduces a new topic)
Examples
- 在于。Tā de wèntí zài yú jīngyàn bú gòu.His problem lies in insufficient experience.
- 在于。Jiàoyù de yìyì zài yú péiyǎng sīkǎo nénglì.The meaning of education lies in cultivating thinking ability.
- 在于。Zhè cì bǐsài de jiéguǒ zài yú duìyuán zhī jiān de pèihé.The outcome of this match depends on the teamwork among the players.
Grammar
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