HSK 4 · Function Words

以 yǐ “with” in Chinese

Same in Traditional

What 以 means

  1. with
  2. by means of
  3. in order to
  4. to use
  5. according to
More meanings from CC-CEDICT
  • because of
  • at (a certain date or place)

How to say 以

  • Pitch chart of the third tone: dips low then rises, 2 to 1 to 4 on the five-level scale以yǐ3rd tone, dipping

以 in a sentence

  1. 他以第一名的成绩考上了大学。

    Tā yǐ dìyī míng de chéngjì kǎoshàng le dàxué.

    He got into university with the top score.

    Sentence by WillyChina

  2. 他以老师的身份参加了会议。

    Tā yǐ lǎoshī de shēnfèn cānjiā le huìyì.

    He attended the meeting as a teacher.

    Sentence by WillyChina

How 以 is built

Each colour is one part of the character. Parts repeat across thousands of characters, so learning them makes new words easier. See all 214 in our radicals chart.

The character 以 (yǐ) drawn as one shape
以yǐto use

以 is a single shape of 4 strokes. Learn it whole, then watch its stroke order below.

How to write 以

以 4 strokes

Watch the order, then press Try writing it and draw each stroke in the grid. Each stroke is checked as you go.

以 (yǐ) stroke order chart: each stroke of the character in the order you write it
Stroke order chart for 以 (yǐ). Red marks the next stroke, so you can copy it onto paper one step at a time.

Words related to 以

Words with 以

可以kěyǐ · can所以suǒyǐ · so以前yǐqián · before以后yǐhòu · after以下yǐxià · below以上yǐshàng · above以外yǐwài · apart from以为yǐwéi · to think (wrongly)以及yǐjí · and以来yǐlái · since (a previous event)

More words: Particles & Connectors

要是yàoshi · if也许yěxǔ · perhaps页yè · page一切yíqiè · everything因此yīncǐ · thus尤其yóuqí · especially由yóu · by由于yóuyú · due to

FAQs

以 (yǐ) means “with” or “by means of”. It is an HSK 4 word.
Say it yǐ: yǐ with a 3rd tone. Press Listen at the top of this page to hear it, or Slowly to hear each tone clearly.
Yes. 以 is written the same way in Simplified and Traditional characters.
Add a Chinese (Simplified) pinyin keyboard to your phone or computer, type yi with no tone marks or spaces, then choose 以 from the suggestions. Typing yi into this dictionary’s search box finds it too.
以 is an HSK 4 word in the HSK 2.0 word lists.

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Sources: meaning and pinyin checked by a native Mandarin teacher against the official HSK lists. Extra meanings from CC-CEDICT (CC BY-SA 4.0). Example sentences written by WillyChina. Character parts and stroke order from Make Me a Hanzi.