DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

在於

简在于 · 繁在於

Mandarin · pinyin zài yú

to rest with; to lie in; to be due to (a certain attribute)
(of a matter) to be determined by; to be up to (sb)

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Characters in this entry

在: zài · be at, in, on; consist in, rest
於: yú · yū · in, at, on; interjection alas!
于: yú · in, on, at; go to; surname

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

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Mandarin tones

4–2 · zai4 yu2

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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.

在於 · find source passages ↗ · 在于 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 2 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

zoi6 jyu1

Cantonese word readings for 在於. 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.

verb

to lie in; to be in; to be situated at
to be determined by; to hinge upon; to depend upon; to rest with

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

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