何以

héyǐ
adverb #21,200

Meanings

  1. 1 why
  2. 2 how
  3. 3 by what means
  4. 4 for what reason (literary)

Examples

Héyǐ jiě yōu, wéi yǒu Dùkāng.
What can relieve sorrow? Only Du Kang (wine).
Nǐ héyǐ rúcǐ quèdìng?
Why are you so certain?

Tips

register
何以 is a classical/literary expression for 'why' or 'by what means'. In modern speech, 为什么 or 什么 are more common. 何以 lends a formal, literary, or rhetorical tone to speech and writing.
culture
The line 何以唯有 is from Cao Cao's poem (Duan Ge Xing), written c. 208 CE. is a legendary figure associated with the invention of wine and is used as a poetic synonym for alcohol.

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