Difference between revisions of "Emphasizing the doer of an action with "you""

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由 (yóu)  is used to emphasize who is the doer or initiator of an action, a bit like in English where we might say: "Andy ''is the one who...."  
 
由 (yóu)  is used to emphasize who is the doer or initiator of an action, a bit like in English where we might say: "Andy ''is the one who...."  
  
==Structure==
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==Structure==  
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
Topic + 由 + Person + Verb
 
Topic + 由 + Person + Verb
 
</div>
 
</div>
 +
 +
This use of 由 is common in formal contexts such as business communications.
  
 
==Examples==
 
==Examples==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
* 这 件 事 <em>由</em> 我 负责。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shì<em>yóu</em> wǒ fùzé.</span><span class="trans">I am responsible for this.</span>
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* 这 件 事 <em>由</em> 我 说了算。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shì <em>yóu</em> wǒ shuō le suàn.</span><span class="trans">This matter is up to me.</span>
* 这 是 <em>由</em> 他 决定 的,你 就别 干涉 了。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì <em>yóu</em> tā juédìng de, nǐ jiù bié gānshèle.</span><span class="trans">This is for him to decide, don't meddle.</span>
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* 这 件 事 <em>由</em> 我 负责。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn shì <em>yóu</em> wǒ fùzé.</span><span class="trans">I am responsible for this matter.</span>
* 太 悲剧 了,会议 <em>由</em> 王总 主持,肯定 会 很 无聊!<span class="pinyin">Tài bēijùle, huìyì <em>yóu</em> wáng zǒng zhǔchí, kěndìng huì hěn wúliáo!</span><span class="trans">Oh no. This meeting is being led by the head manager. It's definitely going to be boring.</span>
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* 这 件 事 是 <em>由</em> 她 引起 的。<span class="pinyin">Zhèjiàn shì shì <em>yóu</em> tā yǐnqǐ de.</span><span class="trans">The incident was caused by her.</span>
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* 这次 的 广告 是 <em>由</em> 他 一个人 拍摄 的。<span class="pinyin">Zhècì  de guǎnggào shì <em>yóu</em> tā yīgèrén pāishè de.</span><span class="trans">The advertisement was shot by him alone.</span>
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* 你  想 怎么样 生活,完全 <em>由</em> 你 自己 规划。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xiǎng zěnmeyàng shēnghuó, wánquán <em>yóu</em> nǐ zìjǐ guīhuà.</span><span class="trans">How you want to live your life is entirely up to you.</span>
 +
* 你 去 过 上海,那 这次 就 <em>由</em> 你 做 导游 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ qù guo Shànghǎi, nà zhècì jiù <em>yóu</em> nǐ zuò dǎoyóu.</span><span class="trans">You have been to Shanghai before, so you will be the tour guide this time.</span>
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* 这 个 国家 的 粮食 主要 <em>由</em> 加拿大 进口。<span class="pinyin">Zhège guójiā de liángshi zhǔyào <em>yóu</em> Jiānádà jìnkǒu.</span><span class="trans">This country's grain is mainly imported from Canada.</span>
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* 这个 规定 是 <em>由</em> 政府 发布 的。<span class="pinyin">Zhège guīdìng shì <em>yóu</em> zhèngfǔ fābù de.</span><span class="trans">This is a regulation issued by the government.</span>
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* 这 是 <em>由</em> 他 决定 的,你 就 别 干涉 了。<span class="pinyin">Zhè shì <em>yóu</em> tā juédìng de, nǐ jiù bié gānshè le.</span><span class="trans">This is for him to decide. Stop interfering.</span>
 +
* 太 悲剧 了,会议 <em>由</em> 王总 主持,肯定 会 很 无聊!<span class="pinyin">Tài bēijù le, huìyì <em>yóu</em> Wáng zǒng zhǔchí, kěndìng huì hěn wúliáo!</span><span class="trans">Oh no. This meeting is being led by the General Manager Wang.It's definitely going to be boring.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Note that 由 not a passive marker.
+
It may seem like it due to the way most of these sentences are translated into English, but please note that 由 not a passive marker. Stick to [[被]] for that.
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==

Latest revision as of 05:46, 6 December 2020

由 (yóu) is used to emphasize who is the doer or initiator of an action, a bit like in English where we might say: "Andy is the one who...."

Structure

Topic + 由 + Person + Verb

This use of 由 is common in formal contexts such as business communications.

Examples

  • 这 件 事 我 说了算。Zhè jiàn shì yóu wǒ shuō le suàn.This matter is up to me.
  • 这 件 事 我 负责。Zhè jiàn shì yóu wǒ fùzé.I am responsible for this matter.
  • 这 件 事 是 她 引起 的。Zhèjiàn shì shì yóu tā yǐnqǐ de.The incident was caused by her.
  • 这次 的 广告 是 他 一个人 拍摄 的。Zhècì de guǎnggào shì yóu tā yīgèrén pāishè de.The advertisement was shot by him alone.
  • 你 想 怎么样 生活,完全 你 自己 规划。Nǐ xiǎng zěnmeyàng shēnghuó, wánquán yóu nǐ zìjǐ guīhuà.How you want to live your life is entirely up to you.
  • 你 去 过 上海,那 这次 就 你 做 导游 。Nǐ qù guo Shànghǎi, nà zhècì jiù yóu nǐ zuò dǎoyóu.You have been to Shanghai before, so you will be the tour guide this time.
  • 这 个 国家 的 粮食 主要 加拿大 进口。Zhège guójiā de liángshi zhǔyào yóu Jiānádà jìnkǒu.This country's grain is mainly imported from Canada.
  • 这个 规定 是 政府 发布 的。Zhège guīdìng shì yóu zhèngfǔ fābù de.This is a regulation issued by the government.
  • 这 是 他 决定 的,你 就 别 干涉 了。Zhè shì yóu tā juédìng de, nǐ jiù bié gānshè le.This is for him to decide. Stop interfering.
  • 太 悲剧 了,会议 王总 主持,肯定 会 很 无聊!Tài bēijù le, huìyì yóu Wáng zǒng zhǔchí, kěndìng huì hěn wúliáo!Oh no. This meeting is being led by the General Manager Wang.It's definitely going to be boring.

It may seem like it due to the way most of these sentences are translated into English, but please note that 由 not a passive marker. Stick to for that.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books