因 (yīn) — Because in Mandarin
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#272 most common word
Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Tone breakdown
因 is pronounced yīn. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.
In a sentence
Yīnwèi xiàyǔ, wǒmen zàijiā.
Because it rained, we stayed home.
Hear it, then say it right
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
What does 因 mean?+
因 (yīn) means "Because" in Mandarin Chinese.
How do you pronounce 因?+
因 is pronounced yīn. It uses the tone 1 (high flat). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.
How common is 因 in Mandarin?+
因 is the #272 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.
Words at a similar frequency
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What each tone sounds like and why it matters.
Why some tones change in connected speech.
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