HSK 4Lesson 61
A class hiking trip is moved because of the weather. You will hear the school notice explained, plan what to do if it rains again, explain why you were late on the day, and talk about a short report on the trip.
You will learn to link causes and results: because and therefore, since, if, even if, so and then, with the words for reason and result.
Part 1 · 10 new words
Contains 4 words
reason; cause
result; in the end
because of; due to
therefore; for this reason
Contains 4 words
since; now that
if
Contains 2 words
so; and so
next; then
Part 2 · 9 phrases
迟到的原因很简单，我的手机没电了。
The reason I was late is simple: my phone ran out of battery.
我跑得很快，结果还是没赶上最后一班车。
I ran fast, but in the end I still missed the last bus.
由于路上堵车，因此我们晚到了半个小时。
Because of the traffic, we arrived half an hour late.
既然你累了，就早点儿休息吧。
Since you're tired, go and get some rest early.
就是下雨，我也要去跑步。
Even if it rains, I'm going for a run.
即使很忙，她每天也要看半个小时书。
Even when she's busy, she reads for half an hour every day.
Part 3 · 4 conversations
Teacher Wang reads the class a school notice about the hiking trip, and Liu Ming asks about the reason and what to do on Saturday.
王老师Teacher Wang
同学们，学校刚发了一个通知：“由于天气原因，本周六的爬山活动改到下周六。”
Everyone, the school has just sent a notice: "Due to the weather, this Saturday's hiking trip is moved to next Saturday."
刘明Liu Ming
老师，是什么原因？我看手机上说这个周六天气很好啊。
What's the reason? My phone says the weather is fine this Saturday.
Part 4 · 5 points
既然……，就……
Use 既然jìrán + a fact both people accept, then 就jiù + what should follow.
Suggest with since
既然jìrán + fact，subject + 就jiù + suggestion.
even if
even if (spoken)
我先洗了手，接着开始做饭。
I washed my hands first, and then started cooking.
我觉得很冷，于是又穿了一件衣服。
I felt cold, so I put on another layer.
要是明天下雨，我们就在家看电影。
If it rains tomorrow, we'll watch a movie at home.
王老师Teacher Wang
通知上写着：“周六山上有大雨，路会很难走，因此学校决定改时间。”
The notice says: "There will be heavy rain on the mountain on Saturday and the paths will be hard going; therefore the school has decided to change the date."
刘明Liu Ming
既然改到下周六了，那这个周六我们还要来学校吗？
Since it has been moved to next Saturday, do we still need to come to school this Saturday?
王老师Teacher Wang
不用来。既然不去爬山了，大家就在家好好休息吧。
No. Since we're not going hiking, everyone should have a good rest at home.
刘明Liu Ming
太好了，那我周六正好可以把作业写完。
Great, that gives me Saturday to finish my homework.
Anne worries the trip will be moved again, and Liu Xiaoxue explains what the teacher said about rain; they agree on a backup plan.
安妮Anne
小雪，要是下周六还下雨，活动会不会又改时间？
Xiaoxue, if it rains again next Saturday, will they move the trip again?
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
我问过王老师了。她说即使下小雨，我们也会去，只有下大雨才改。
I asked Teacher Wang. She said we'll go even if it drizzles; they'll only change it if it rains heavily.
安妮Anne
下小雨爬山？那多不舒服啊。
Hiking in the drizzle? That would be so uncomfortable.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
我倒觉得下雨的时候山上特别漂亮。就是下大雨，我也想去看看。
Actually I think the mountain is especially beautiful in the rain. Even if it pours, I'd still like to go and see.
安妮Anne
下大雨太危险了！要是真下大雨，我们就在我家看电影吧。
Heavy rain is too dangerous! If it really pours, let's watch a movie at my place.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
好吧，那星期五晚上我们先看天气，再决定去不去、带不带伞。
All right, then on Friday evening we'll check the weather first and then decide whether to go and whether to take umbrellas.
On the morning of the trip, Teacher Wang asks Liu Ming why everyone had to wait for him, and he explains what went wrong step by step.
王老师Teacher Wang
刘明，大家等了你二十分钟，出什么事了？
Liu Ming, everyone has waited twenty minutes for you. What happened?
刘明Liu Ming
对不起，老师。我六点就起床了，结果地铁出了问题，车在半路停了半个小时。
Sorry, Teacher. I got up at six, but then the subway had a problem and the train stopped halfway for half an hour.
王老师Teacher Wang
那你后来是怎么过来的？
So how did you get here in the end?
刘明Liu Ming
车还是不走，于是我下了地铁，打了一辆出租车。
The train still didn't move, so I got off the subway and took a taxi.
王老师Teacher Wang
接着呢？出租车应该很快吧？
And then? The taxi must have been quick, right?
刘明Liu Ming
本来应该很快，可是路上又堵车了，结果又花了半个多小时。
It should have been, but then we hit traffic, and in the end it took another half hour or more.
王老师Teacher Wang
原因我知道了，这不是你的错。快上车吧，我们马上出发。
Now I know why. It's not your fault. Get on the bus quickly; we're leaving right away.
After the trip, Wang Yixue reads Bai Jiayue a line from her report for the school website, and they talk about why they turned back and what classmates thought.
白家月Bai Jiayue
一雪，你在写什么呢？
Yixue, what are you writing?
王一雪Wang Yixue
老师让我给学校网站写一篇爬山活动的文章。你听听这句：“由于山上风很大，因此大家没有爬到最高的地方，提前下山了。”
The teacher asked me to write an article about the hiking trip for the school website. Listen to this line: "Because the wind on the mountain was very strong, we did not reach the top and came down early."
白家月Bai Jiayue
写得不错。可是没爬到最高的地方，我到现在还有点儿难过。
That's well written. But I'm still a bit sad that we didn't make it to the top.
王一雪Wang Yixue
我也是，但是安全最重要。既然这次没上去，下次天气好的时候我们就再去一次吧。
Me too, but safety comes first. Since we didn't get up there this time, let's go again next time when the weather's good.
白家月Bai Jiayue
好主意。你在文章里写大家的看法了吗？
Good idea. Did you put everyone's opinions in the article?
王一雪Wang Yixue
写了。我问了十个同学，结果九个人都说下次还想去。
Yes. I asked ten classmates, and nine of them said they want to go again next time.
In 既然不去爬山了，大家就在家好好休息吧jìrán bú qù páshān le, dàjiā jiù zài jiā hǎohǎo xiūxi ba, the trip is already cancelled.
In sentences
Advice
既然你不舒服，今天就别去上课了。
Since you're not feeling well, don't go to class today.
No subject in the second clause, so 就jiù comes first.
Decision
既然大家都同意，那我们就这么决定了。
Since everyone agrees, then that's what we'll do.
那nà opens the conclusion; 就jiù follows the subject 我们wǒmen.
Question
既然你已经来北京了，为什么不去长城看看？
Since you're already in Beijing, why not go and see the Great Wall?
The conclusion can be a question.
Negative fact
既然这次没上去，下次天气好的时候我们就再去一次吧。
Since we didn't get up there this time, let's go again next time when the weather's good.
The accepted fact can be negative.
A：既然你知道路上会堵车，为什么不早点儿出门？ B：我以为六点起床就够早了。
A: Since you knew there would be traffic, why didn't you leave earlier? B: I thought getting up at six was early enough.
既然学校已经把爬山活动改到下周六，我们这周六就在家好好休息吧。
Since the school has moved the hike to next Saturday, let's have a good rest at home this Saturday.
既然jìrán introduces a fact that is already true or already decided, and the second clause draws a conclusion from it: a suggestion, a decision or a question. 就jiù goes before the verb of the second clause, and 那nà can open it: 既然改到下周六了，那这个周六我们还要来学校吗？jìrán gǎidào xià zhōuliù le, nà zhège zhōuliù wǒmen hái yào lái xuéxiào ma?; 既然不去爬山了，大家就在家好好休息吧jìrán bú qù páshān le, dàjiā jiù zài jiā hǎohǎo xiūxi ba. Compare 要是yàoshi and 如果rúguǒ, which talk about something that may or may not happen. A common error is using 既然jìrán for an uncertain condition: say 要是明天下雨yàoshi míngtiān xiàyǔ, not 既然明天下雨jìrán míngtiān xiàyǔ.
（由于）……，因此……
Use 由于yóuyú + reason, then 因此yīncǐ + result, mainly in notices, reports and formal speech.
Give a formal reason and result
由于yóuyú + reason，因此yīncǐ + result.
In Wang Yixue's report, 由于yóuyú and 因此yīncǐ fit a written article.
In sentences
Therefore alone
这家店的东西质量好，因此生意一直不错。
This shop's goods are good quality; therefore business has always been good.
因此yīncǐ opens the result after a plain reason clause.
Full pair
由于他每天坚持练习，因此中文水平提高得特别快。
Because he practices every day, his Chinese has improved especially fast.
由于yóuyú opens a whole clause; 因此yīncǐ gives the result.
In a notice
由于这条路正在修，因此请大家走旁边的小路。
Because this road is being repaired, please use the side street.
Typical of signs and notices.
A：你们为什么改了时间？ B：由于下午有大雨，因此老师决定明天再去。
A: Why did you change the time? B: Because there will be heavy rain this afternoon, the teacher decided to go tomorrow instead.
由于地铁在半路停了半个小时，因此刘明迟到了二十分钟。
Because the subway stopped halfway for half an hour, Liu Ming was twenty minutes late.
由于yóuyú gives the reason and 因此yīncǐ opens the result: 由于山上风很大，因此大家没有爬到最高的地方yóuyú shān shang fēng hěn dà, yīncǐ dàjiā méiyǒu pádào zuì gāo de dìfang. 因此yīncǐ can also follow a plain reason clause without 由于yóuyú: 路会很难走，因此学校决定改时间lù huì hěn nán zǒu, yīncǐ xuéxiào juédìng gǎi shíjiān. (由于yóuyú before a noun phrase, as in 由于天气原因yóuyú tiānqì yuányīn, is the next note.) Both are more formal than 因为yīnwèi and 所以suǒyǐ, so they suit notices, reports and articles; in a chat with friends, 因为…所以… (yīnwèi … suǒyǐ …) sounds more natural. In formal writing 由于yóuyú most often pairs with
介词：引出原因 由于
Put 由于yóuyú + a noun phrase at the start of a sentence to name the cause, then say what happened because of it.
Name the cause in a notice
由于yóuyú + noun phrase，result.
The school notice in dialogue 1 opens with this phrase, as notices often do.
In sentences
Personal reason
由于身体原因，他这个学期不能参加比赛了。
For health reasons, he can't take part in competitions this semester.
由于yóuyú + noun + 原因yuányīn before the subject.
Short on time
由于时间关系，今天我们就讲到这里。
As time is short, we'll stop here today.
A set phrase used at the end of a talk or class.
This reason
由于这个原因，大家没有爬到最高的地方。
For this reason, we didn't reach the top.
Refers back to a cause already mentioned.
A：你为什么没来上课？ B：由于家里的原因，我这几天一直在家。
A: Why didn't you come to class? B: For family reasons, I've been at home these past few days.
由于工作原因，王老师这周六不能和大家一起爬山。
For work reasons, Teacher Wang can't go hiking with everyone this Saturday.
由于yóuyú also works as a preposition; in this use it takes a noun phrase rather than a whole clause, and the phrase names the cause of what the main clause reports: 由于天气原因，本周六的爬山活动改到下周六yóuyú tiānqì yuányīn, běn zhōuliù de páshān huódòng gǎidào xià zhōuliù. Set phrases of this kind are typical of notices and announcements: 由于天气原因yóuyú tiānqì yuányīn, due to the weather; 由于时间关系yóuyú shíjiān guānxi, as time is short; 由于这个原因yóuyú zhège yuányīn, for this reason. The 由于yóuyú phrase normally comes first, before the subject or at the very start of the sentence, and no 因此yīncǐ is needed after a short phrase like this. It is formal; in conversation people say 因为yīnwèi or simply give the reason in a clause. The pair 由于……，因此…… (yóuyú …, yīncǐ …) with a whole reason clause is the previous note. A common error is to tack the 由于yóuyú phrase on after the result, as you can with
要是……，就……
Use 要是yàoshi + a possible situation, then (subject +) 就jiù + what will happen or what to do.
Make a backup plan
要是yàoshi + condition，subject + 就jiù + plan.
Anne uses it to suggest a plan B in case of heavy rain.
In sentences
Plan B
要是你明天没时间，我们就改到星期天吧。
If you don't have time tomorrow, let's move it to Sunday.
就jiù after the subject 我们wǒmen.
Question
要是他不来，你怎么办？
If he doesn't come, what will you do?
A question as the second clause, without 就jiù.
With 的话
要是你周六有时间的话，就来我家吃饭吧。
If you're free on Saturday, come over to my place for a meal.
No subject in the second clause, so 就jiù opens it.
A：要是我们迟到了，怎么办？ B：要是迟到，就给王老师打个电话吧。
A: What if we're late? B: If we're late, let's call Teacher Wang.
要是下周六天气好，安妮想请刘小雪也一起去爬山。
If the weather is good next Saturday, Anne wants to ask Liu Xiaoxue to go hiking too.
要是yàoshi means if. It is the spoken equivalent of 如果rúguǒ and introduces something that may or may not happen; the second clause says what will follow, usually with 就jiù: 要是真下大雨，我们就在我家看电影吧yàoshi zhēn xià dàyǔ, wǒmen jiù zài wǒ jiā kàn diànyǐng ba. 就jiù is an adverb, so it goes after the subject of the second clause, right before the verb. When the second clause is a question, 就jiù is often left out: 要是下周六还下雨，活动会不会又改时间？yàoshi xià zhōuliù hái xiàyǔ, huódòng huì bu huì yòu gǎi shíjiān?. 要是yàoshi can come before or after the subject of its own clause, and 的话dehuà may close the condition: 要是你有时间的话yàoshi nǐ yǒu shíjiān dehuà. Use 要是
即使/就是……，也……
Use 即使jíshǐ or spoken 就是jiùshì + a situation, then (subject +) 也yě + a result that does not change.
The plan stays the same
即使jíshǐ + situation，subject + 也yě + result.
Teacher Wang's rule: drizzle does not stop the trip.
Spoken even if
就是jiùshì + situation，subject + 也yě + result.
Liu Xiaoxue uses the spoken form with a friend.
In sentences
Plan stays
即使他明天不来，我们也要把这件事做完。
Even if he doesn't come tomorrow, we still have to finish this.
The result does not depend on the situation.
Spoken
就是再贵，我也要买这本书。
Even if it costs more, I still want to buy this book.
就是jiùshì = 即使jíshǐ in speech; 再zài + adjective marks an extreme case.
Even if no one says
即使老师不说，我们也应该早点儿来。
Even if the teacher doesn't say so, we should come a bit early.
The condition can be negative.
A：天气不好，你还去吗？ B：即使下雨，我也要去，我已经买了票。
A: The weather is bad; are you still going? B: Even if it rains, I'm going; I've already bought the ticket.
即使山上风很大，王一雪也想爬到最高的地方。
Even if the wind on the mountain is strong, Wang Yixue wants to climb to the highest point.
即使jíshǐ means even if. It brings in a situation, usually one that has not happened, and the second clause says that the result stays the same anyway, with 也yě before its verb: 即使下小雨，我们也会去jíshǐ xià xiǎoyǔ, wǒmen yě huì qù. 就是jiùshì does the same job in relaxed speech: 就是下大雨，我也想去看看jiùshì xià dàyǔ, wǒ yě xiǎng qù kànkan. In this pattern 就是jiùshì does not mean it is exactly; the 也yě in the next clause tells you it means even if. Compare 要是yàoshi: with 要是yàoshi the result depends on the condition, while with 即使jíshǐ it does not. Compare also 虽然……，但是…… (suīrán …, dànshì …), which admits a real fact; 即使jíshǐ
老师让我给学校网站写一篇爬山活动的文章。你听听这句：“由于山上风很大，因此大家没有爬到最高的地方，提前下山了。”
The teacher asked me to write an article about the hiking trip for the school website. Listen to this line: "Because the wind on the mountain was very strong, we did not reach the top and came down early."
Why it matters · The full pair in a written article.
Heavy rain is too dangerous! If it really pours, let's watch a movie at my place.
Why it matters · 要是yàoshi … 就jiù … gives the backup plan.
我倒觉得下雨的时候山上特别漂亮。就是下大雨，我也想去看看。
Actually I think the mountain is especially beautiful in the rain. Even if it pours, I'd still like to go and see.
Why it matters · The spoken 就是jiùshì … 也yě … between friends.
