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所以

Mandarin · pinyin suǒ yǐ

therefore
as a result
so
the reason why

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Characters in this entry

所: suǒ · place, location; numerary adjunct
以: yǐ · by means of; thereby, therefore; consider as; in order to

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

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Mandarin tones

3–3 · suo3 yi3

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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 · 6 senses · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

so2 ji5

Cantonese word readings for 所以. 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.

conj

therefore; so; consequently
Used in the first part of a sentence to indicate a reason that will be explained in the second part of the sentence.

pron

(literary) the means (literally, "what one uses") by which; how
(literary) the manner in which; how
(literary) the reason why; why

noun

(literary) proper behaviour; manners

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

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