所為

See also: 所为

Chinese

		actually; place; (nominalization prefix)	because of; for; to because of; for; to; act as; take...to be; to be; to do; to serve as; to become
trad. (所為/所爲)		所	為/爲
simp. (所为)		所	为

Pronunciation 1

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): suǒwéi

  (Zhuyin): ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄨㄟˊ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): so² wai⁴
• Hakka (Sixian, PFS): só-vì
• Southern Min (Hokkien, POJ): só͘-ûi

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: suǒwéi
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄨㄟˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: suǒwéi
    • Wade–Giles: so³-wei²
    • Yale: swǒ-wéi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: suoowei
    • Palladius: совэй (sovɛj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ weɪ̯³⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: so² wai⁴
    • Yale: só wàih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: so² wai⁴
    • Guangdong Romanization: so² wei⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɔː³⁵ wɐi̯²¹/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: só-vì
    • Hakka Romanization System: so^ˋ vi^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: so³ vi²
    • Sinological IPA: /so³¹ vi¹¹/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: só͘-ûi
    • Tâi-lô: sóo-uî
    • Phofsit Daibuun: sofuii
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen): /sɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ui²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou): /sɔ⁵⁵⁴⁻²⁴ ui²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /sɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ui¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Taipei): /sɔ⁵³⁻⁴⁴ ui²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /sɔ⁴¹⁻⁴⁴ ui²³/

Noun

所為

1. what one does; behaviour; actions

Derived terms

• 所作所為 / 所作所为 (suǒzuòsuǒwéi)

Pronunciation 2

• Mandarin

  (Pinyin): suǒwèi

  (Zhuyin): ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄨㄟˋ

• Cantonese (Jyutping): so² wai⁶

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: suǒwèi
    • Zhuyin: ㄙㄨㄛˇ ㄨㄟˋ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: suǒwèi
    • Wade–Giles: so³-wei⁴
    • Yale: swǒ-wèi
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: suoowey
    • Palladius: совэй (sovɛj)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /su̯ɔ²¹⁴⁻²¹ weɪ̯⁵¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: so² wai⁶
    • Yale: só waih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: so² wai⁶
    • Guangdong Romanization: so² wei⁶
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /sɔː³⁵ wɐi̯²²/
    • Homophones:

      edit edit 所為 / 所为 所謂 / 所谓

Noun

所為

1. cause; reason

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
所	為
しょ Grade: 3	い Grade: S
goon	on'yomi

Alternative spellings
所爲 (kyūjitai) 所意

From Middle Chinese 所為 (MC srjoX hjwe|hjweH). The goon, so likely the initial borrowing.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) しょい [shóꜜì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [ɕo̞i]

Noun

所(しょ)為(い) • (shoi) ^{←しよゐ (syowi)?}

1. one's deed
2. cause, reason

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
所	為
しょ > せ Grade: 3	い Grade: S
irregular	on'yomi

Alternative spellings
所爲 (kyūjitai) 故 (literary)

*/sjowi/ → */sjoi/ → /ɕoi/ → /ɕei/ → /sei/ → /seː/

Probably a shift from shoi above.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) せー [séꜜè] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [se̞ː]

Noun

所(せ)為(い) • (sei) ^{←せゐ (sewi)?}

1. cause, reason, fault

   あいつのせいで全(ぜん)部(ぶ)台(だい)無(な)しになった。

   Aitsu no sei de zenbu dainashi ni natta.

   It all came to nothing because of that fool.

Usage notes

This term is usually used for negative incidents.

This sei reading is usually written in kana.

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
所	為
そ Grade: 3	い Grade: S
kan'on	on'yomi

Alternative spelling
所爲 (kyūjitai)

From Middle Chinese 所為 (MC srjoX hjwe|hjweH). The kan'on, so likely a later borrowing. Compare modern Min Nan reading só͘-ûi, Hakka só-vì.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) そい [sóꜜì] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [so̞i]

Noun

所(そ)為(い) • (soi) ^{←そゐ (sowi)?}

1. one's deed

References

• “所為”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[1] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2026