因 (yīn) is a Chinese character meaning “cause”. It is written from 囗 (enclosure, surrounding frame) and 大 (big), one enclosing the other, and takes 6 strokes.
Build the character for “cause; because of”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
囗 + 大
Enclosing structure
Structure from: 说文解字：因，就也。从囗、大
Memory aid
A big person (大) closed in by a frame (囗) on every side. Whatever hems you in is what you point at when you ask why — the cause.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
6 strokes
In real words
- 因为yīn wèibecause; because of因 = yīn
- 因此yīn cǐtherefore; for this reason因 = yīnHSK 4
- 原因yuán yīnreason; cause因 = yīn
- 因素yīn sùfactor; element因 = yīn
Go deeper
All readings
cause; because of
cause; reason; because of; on account of; to follow from
原因；由于。表示事情发生的缘故或依据。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 因为yīn wèibecause; because of因 = yīn
- 因此yīn cǐtherefore; for this reason因 = yīnHSK 4
- 原因yuán yīnreason; cause因 = yīn
- 因素yīn sùfactor; element因 = yīn
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 因 mean?
因 (yīn) means cause; reason; because of; on account of; to follow from.
How do you pronounce 因?
It is pronounced yīn.
What parts is 因 made of?
囗 (enclosure, surrounding frame) and 大 (big), one enclosing the other. The recorded source is: 说文解字：因，就也。从囗、大. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 因 have?
6. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 因?
囗. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 因?
Common ones are 因为 and 因此. The reading of 因 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.