Expressing "and then" with "yushi"

于是 is a conjunction used to express a continuation between two events. The second event is the direct result of the first event.

Structure

于是 is a conjunction that comes between two clauses. Its closest English equivalent would be "and then." Since 于是 can only be used to talk about the past, 了 is ofter used in the same sentence.

⋯⋯ ，于是 (+ Subj.) ⋯⋯ + 了

Examples

• 我 看 大家 都 买 了 ，于是 我 也 买 了 。Wǒ kàn dàjiā dōu mǎile, yúshì wǒ yě mǎi le.I saw everyone was was buying. And then I bought it, too.
• 昨天 突然 下雨了 ，于是 我们 取消 了 野餐 的 计划 。Zuótiān túrán xià yǔle, yúshì wǒmen qǔxiāo le yěcān de jìhuà.It rained yesterday, so we cancelled the picnic.
• 网站上 的 票 已经 卖 光 了 ，于是 我们 买 了 黄牛票 。Wǎngzhàn shàng de piào yǐjīng mài guāngle, yúshì wǒmen mǎi le huángniú piào.The tickets on the website were sold out. And then we bought the tickets from the scalpers.
• 他 的 英语 太差 了，于是 ，他 妈妈 给 他 请 了 一个 英语 家教 。Tā de Yīngyǔ tài chàle, yúshì, tā māmā gěi tā qǐng le yīgè Yīngyǔ jiājiào.His English is too bad. And then his mother hired an English tutor for him.
• 她 发现 男朋友 已经 结婚 了 。于是 ，她 马上 跟 他 分手 了 。Tā fāxiàn nán péngyou yǐjīng jiéhūnle. Yúshì, tā mǎshàng gēn tā fēnshǒu le.She found out her boyfriend's been married. And she broke up with him.

于是 Used with 就

于是 is often used with 就 to emphasize that the actions or events that come after 就 are immediately after the first event.

• 电影 太 暴力 了 ，我们 实在 看 不 下去 了 ，于是 就 走 了 。Diànyǐng tài bàolìle, wǒmen shízài kàn bù xiàqùle, yúshì jiù zǒu le.This movie was so violent, we couldn't bear watching it anymore. And then we left.
• 他 实在 太 懒 了 ，于是 老板 就 把 他 辞 了 。Tā shízài tài lǎnle, yúshì lǎobǎn jiù bǎ tā cí le.He was too lazy and then the boss fired him.
• 他 实在 太 懒 了 ，于是 老板 就 把 他 辞 了 。
• 我 很 喜欢 这个 手机 ，于是 就 买 下来 了 。

因此 vs. 于是

While they may seem very similar, 因此 is not quite the same as 于是. When using 因此, it acts as a conjunction that expresses the cause and effect. Because of the reasons in clause one, clause two reaches this result or conclusion.

• 因此 emphasizes a cause and effect relationship. 于是 emphasizes that the first event is closely followed by the second event.

• 于是 can only be used to recount events that happened in the past.

• 因此 is more formal and mostly used in writing. 于是 is more commonly used when speaking.

• 他 经常 随便 开玩笑 ，因此 ，大家 都 不 喜欢 跟 他 说话 。Tā jīngcháng suíbiàn kāiwánxiào, yīncǐ, dàjiā dōu bù xǐhuān gēn tā shuōhuà.He often makes jokes recklessly. Therefore, people doesn't like to talk to him.
• 他 经常 随便 开玩笑 ，于是 ，大家 都 不 喜欢 跟 他 说话 。Tā jīngcháng suíbiàn kāiwánxiào, yúshì, dàjiā dōu bù xǐhuān gēn tā shuōhuà. He often makes jokes recklessly, so people doesn't like to talk to him.

Sources and further reading

Books

• HSK Standard Course 4下 (pp. 49) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• 现代汉语虚词手册 (pp. 326) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy
• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 636) [ →buy]
• 对外汉语教学语法释疑201例 (pp. 362) [ →buy]

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