“Thus” in Chinese 1 – 从而 cóng‘ér

Posted on by tiffany

OneDotDot Chinese
Grammar · HSK 5
Grammar Point · HSK 5

从而 cóng’ér — “Thus”

从而 cóng’ér is a formal conjunction used to indicate a cause-and-effect or means-and-result relationship between two clauses. It can be translated as “thus,” “thereby,” or “consequently” in English.

Thus 從而 cóng'ér Chinese grammar

从而 cóng’ér is mainly used in formal writing — essays, reports, news articles — to emphasize a logical result following a cause or method.

1 Structure

Cause or Method + 从而 cóng’ér + Result

从而 cóng’ér is mainly used in formal writing, such as essays, reports, and news articles, to emphasize a logical result following a cause or method. It’s grammatically fine in spoken Chinese too, but people usually prefer 所以 suǒyǐ in everyday conversation for a more natural flow.

这款zhè kuǎn手机shǒujī电池diànchí容量róngliàng更gèng大dà，从而cóng’ér延长yáncháng了le使用shǐyòng时间shíjiān
This phone has a larger battery, thus extending its usage time.
他tā努力nǔlì学习xuéxí，从而cóng’ér取得qǔdé了le好hǎo成绩chéngjì
He studied hard, thereby achieving good grades.
我wǒ开始kāishǐ规划guīhuà时间shíjiān，从而cóng’ér工作gōngzuò变biàn得de更gèng有yǒu效率xiàolǜ了le
I started managing my time better, which made my work more efficient.
这家zhè jiā店diàn打折dǎzhé力度lìdù很hěn大dà，从而cóng’ér吸引xīyǐn了le大量dàliàng顾客gùkè
This store offers big discounts, which has attracted a large number of customers.
我wǒ决定juédìng换huàn新xīn工作gōngzuò，从而cóng’ér能néng有yǒu更多gèngduō时间shíjiān陪péi我的wǒde猫māo
I decided to change jobs, thereby having more time to spend with my cat.
她tā改变gǎibiàn了le饮食yǐnshí习惯xíguàn，从而cóng’ér成功chénggōng瘦shòu了le五wǔ公斤gōngjīn
She changed her eating habits, which helped her successfully lose five kilograms.
他tā因为yīnwèi太tài相信xiāngxìn朋友péngyou，从而cóng’ér背bèi了le一身yìshēn的de债zhài
He trusted his friends too much, which led him to accumulate a lot of debt.
你们nǐmen需要xūyào多duō阅读yuèdú，从而cóng’ér提高tígāo认字rènzì的de速度sùdù
You need to read more to increase your reading speed.
我wǒ透过tòuguò这次zhècì的de会议huìyì，从而cóng’ér了解liǎojiě到dào了le学术界xuéshùjiè有yǒu多duō黑hēi
Through this meeting, I gained insight into how corrupt the academic world can be.

2 所以 suǒyǐ, 因此 yīncǐ and 从而 cóng’ér

All three connect a cause to a result, but they sit at very different registers — here’s the same base sentence with each one.

这款zhè kuǎn手机shǒujī电池diànchí容量róngliàng更gèng大dà，所以suǒyǐ很多hěnduō人rén喜欢xǐhuanSpoken & casual
This phone has a larger battery, so many people like it.
这款zhè kuǎn手机shǒujī电池diànchí容量róngliàng更gèng大dà，因此yīncǐ受到shòudào了le消费者xiāofèizhě的de欢迎huānyíngFormal, neutral
This phone has a larger battery, therefore it has been well received by consumers.
这款zhè kuǎn手机shǒujī电池diànchí容量róngliàng更gèng大dà，从而cóng’ér延长yáncháng了le使用shǐyòng时间shíjiānFormal, emphasizes direct result
This phone has a larger battery, thus extending its usage time.

3 Common Mistakes

从而 cóng’ér works best when the result is something the same subject achieves through its own action or method — not just any effect that happens to fall on a different party.

❌
政府zhèngfǔ调高tiáogāo了le基本jīběn工资gōngzī，从而cóng’ér许多xǔduō工人gōngrén失业shīyè了le
✅
政府zhèngfǔ调高tiáogāo了le基本jīběn工资gōngzī，因此yīncǐ许多xǔduō工人gōngrén失业shīyè了le
The workers losing their jobs isn’t something the government itself “did” as a method toward that outcome — it’s a downstream effect on a different party. 因此 yīncǐ (or 所以 suǒyǐ) simply states cause and effect without that requirement, so it reads more naturally here.

4 Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01I exercise regularly, thus maintaining my health.
我wǒ定期dìngqī锻炼duànliàn，从而cóng’ér保持bǎochí身体shēntǐ健康jiànkāng
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02The quality of this brand is excellent, thus attracting many customers.
这个zhège品牌pǐnpái的de质量zhìliàng很hěn好hǎo，从而cóng’ér吸引xīyǐn了le很多hěnduō顾客gùkè
👆 Tap to reveal
03Tiffany’s guidance is on point, thus helping us understand the text better.
Tiffany很hěn会huì教jiāo，从而cóng’ér帮助bāngzhù我们wǒmen更gèng好hǎo地de理解lǐjiě课文kèwén
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04He practices Chinese seriously every day, thus making rapid progress.
他tā每天měitiān都dōu认真rènzhēn练习liànxí中文zhōngwén，从而cóng’ér进步jìnbù得de很hěn快kuài
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05This company offers flexible working hours, thus increasing employee satisfaction.
这间zhèjiān公司gōngsī提供tígōng弹性tánxìng工时gōngshí，从而cóng’ér提升tíshēng了le员工yuángōng的de满意度mǎnyìdù
👆 Tap to reveal
06The government invested more resources in education, thus improving the learning environment for students in remote areas.
政府zhèngfǔ投入tóurù更多gèngduō资源zīyuán在zài教育jiàoyù上shàng，从而cóng’ér改善gǎishàn了le偏乡piānxiāng学生xuéshēng的de学习xuéxí环境huánjìng
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07She prepared a thorough plan in advance, thus successfully completing the project.
她tā提前tíqián做zuò好hǎo了le完整wánzhěng的de计划jìhuà，从而cóng’ér顺利shùnlì完成wánchéng了le这个zhège项目xiàngmù
👆 Tap to reveal
08This article is logically clear, thus making it easier for readers to understand.
这篇zhè piān文章wénzhāng逻辑luójí清楚qīngchǔ，从而cóng’ér让ràng读者dúzhě更gèng容易róngyì理解lǐjiě
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09This restaurant improved its service quality, thus earning more positive reviews.
这家zhè jiā餐厅cāntīng改善gǎishàn了le服务fúwù品质pǐnzhí，从而cóng’ér获得huòdé了le更多gèngduō好评hǎopíng
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10I developed the habit of reading every day, thus accumulating quite a bit of knowledge.
我wǒ养成yǎngchéng了le每天měitiān读书dúshū的de习惯xíguàn，从而cóng’ér累积lěijī了le不少bùshǎo知识zhīshì
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Related Grammar

→To See More Different Functions About 而 ér →“Thus” in Chinese 2 — 因而 yīn’ér(HSK 5)

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