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主因

Mandarin · pinyin zhǔ yīn

principal cause; main reason

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Characters in this entry

主: zhǔ · master, chief owner; host; lord
因: yīn · cause, reason; by; because (of)

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3–1 · zhu3 yin1

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

zyu2 jan1

Cantonese word readings for 主因. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

noun

primary cause; main factor

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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