以 is also the simplified spelling of 㕥, 㠯.
DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT
以
Mandarin · pinyin yǐ#
Meanings · yǐ
- to use
- by means of
- according to
- in order to
- because of
- at (a certain date or place)
Mandarin · pinyin Yǐ#
Meanings · Yǐ
- abbr. for Israel 以色列 Yǐ sè liè
Characters in this entry
- 以
- yǐ · by means of; thereby, therefore; consider as; in order to
Explore the spelling
Mandarin tones
3 · yi3
Compare attested words with these syllables ↗Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.
Connected dictionary
1character link44same-tone records
Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.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.
Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 13 senses · 1 Cantonese reading
Rime Cantonese 粵拼
ji5
Cantonese word readings for 以. 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.
character · Etymology 1
- a preposition that expresses a boundary in time, orientation, direction or quantity
- by; with; by means of; thereby
- according to
- so as to; in order to
- because; because of
- (literary) therefore; thus; and then; and so; then
- to use
- (literary) to consider as
- (literary) and
- (literary) at; in; during (a specific time)
- (abbreviation, alt-of) short for 以色列 (Yǐsèliè, “Israel”)
- a surname
- (～母) (Chinese linguistics) the Middle Chinese initial of 以 (MC yiX), equivalent to the 4th 等 (děng) of the initial 喻 (MC yuH)
Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history
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