How to use 于是
⋯⋯ ，于是 ⋯⋯
于是 introduces the next development as a consequence of the preceding situation. It is especially common in storytelling, where a change or observation prompts someone to act. The relationship is more specific than simply placing two events next to each other: the later event follows because of what the first clause establishes.
The subjects can differ, and 就 may reinforce the resulting action. Completed-event 了 frequently appears because narratives often recount past developments, but 于是 itself is not a tense marker. For a general conclusion or explanation without a developing event sequence, 因此 may fit better. Choose 于是 when the reader should see how one situation leads into the next step of the story.
Examples with pinyin and English
我看大家都买了， 于是我也买了。
I saw everyone was buying it. So then I bought it, too.
昨天突然下雨了， 于是我们取消了野餐的计划。
It rained yesterday, so we cancelled the picnic.
网站上的票已经卖光了， 于是我们买了黄牛票。
The tickets on the website were all sold out. So then we bought tickets from scalpers.
他的英语太差了， 于是，他妈妈给他请了一个英语家教。
His English was too terrible. So then his mother hired an English tutor for him.
What to remember
- 于是 introduces a prompted development.
- A narrative often uses 了 without making it obligatory.
- General reasoning may call for 因此 instead.
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Source and editorial notes
Explanation rewritten for Laowai. Examples are adapted from the Laowai English grammar curriculum, with editorial corrections where needed. The original curriculum credits AllSet Learning’s Chinese Grammar Wiki as used with permission. Read the retained source credits.
Difficulty labels describe the level of the explanation; they are not official HSK placement. Send a correction with this page’s URL.