之zi1所so2以ji5

English

1. (after a noun N and before a predicate P) the reason why N P
2. the reason why, followed by a consequence, and then the verb 係 hai6 and the reason
3. Example: 我之所以討厭他|我之所以讨厌他[wo3 zhi1 suo3 yi3 tao3 yan4 ta1] "the reason why I dislike him (is ...)"

粵語 — Cantonese

1. 後面緊接住某個結果，跟住再用「係」帶出呢個結果嘅原因

Examples

• 我之所以唔嚟，係因為佢喺度。

  The reason that I didn't come was because he was there.

• 佢之所以唔鍾意你，係因為你食煙。

  She doesn't like you because you smoke.

• 哥倫布之所以成為探險家，並唔係因為佢熱愛大海，而係因為佢憎西班牙嘅監獄。

  Christopher Columbus wasn't an explorer because he loved the sea. He was an explorer because he hated Spanish jails.

  Tatoeba · fercheung CC BY

• 其實呢件事之所以冇喺報紙度報導，係因為一個簡單嘅事實，除咗一個目擊者之外，冇人知道呢件事。

  Tatoeba · Andrea5437 CC BY

• 他们之所以没有游泳，就因为天气很冷。

  They didn't swim because it was cold.

  Tatoeba · FeuDRenais CC BY

• 我们罢工之所以是因为公司没有涨我们的工资。

  The reason we're on strike is that the company hasn't improved our wages.

  Tatoeba · tarim222 CC BY

• 我們之所以罷工是因為公司沒有改善我們的工資。

  We're on strike because the company hasn't improved our wages.

  Tatoeba · Martha CC BY

• 迷信之所以存在，是因為人無法接受巧合只是巧合而已。

  Superstitions derive from the inability of men to acknowledge that coincidences are merely coincidences.

  Tatoeba · DaoSeng CC BY