之所以... 归功于...
Reach for this when you want to spotlight an outcome and credit a specific cause for it — 'the reason X happened is owed to Y.' A formal, written-register attribution pattern used in speeches, business reports, sports commentary, and acceptance remarks. 之所以 introduces the result you want to explain; 归功于 names the person, team, or factor receiving the credit. Use it for positive outcomes — successes, achievements, recoveries. For negative causes, swap 归功于 for 归咎于 ('attribute the blame to').
Structure
[Subject] + 之所以 + [achievement/result], (是) 归功于 + [credited cause].
zhī suǒyǐ ... guī gōng yú
How to Think About It
Think of this as a two-part spotlight. 之所以 frames the question — 'why did this success happen?' — and 归功于 delivers the answer with formal weight. 功 means 'merit/credit,' so 归功于 literally 'returns the credit to.' It signals respect: you're saying 'this win belongs to them, not us.' Compare with the neutral 因为...所以... — that's just cause-and-effect. 之所以...归功于... adds gratitude.
Examples
他之所以能成功，归功于家人的支持。
Tā zhī suǒyǐ néng chénggōng, guī gōng yú jiārén de zhīchí.
The reason he could succeed is owed to his family's support.
公司之所以发展得这么快，归功于全体员工的努力。
Gōngsī zhī suǒyǐ fāzhǎn de zhème kuài, guī gōng yú quántǐ yuángōng de nǔlì.
The reason the company has grown so fast is owed to every employee's effort.
我们队之所以赢了比赛，归功于教练的策略。
Wǒmen duì zhī suǒyǐ yíngle bǐsài, guī gōng yú jiàoliàn de cèlüè.
Our team won the match thanks to the coach's strategy.
这部电影之所以受欢迎，归功于演员出色的表演。
Zhè bù diànyǐng zhī suǒyǐ shòu huānyíng, guī gōng yú yǎnyuán chūsè de biǎoyǎn.
The film's popularity is owed to the actors' outstanding performance.
Common Mistake
Learners mix up the order, putting the cause before 之所以. The result must come after 之所以 and the credited factor after 归功于. Reversing the two clauses sounds garbled.
团队的努力之所以成功，归功于这个项目。
这个项目之所以成功，归功于团队的努力。
Don't Confuse With
因为...所以...
Neutral cause-and-effect. No credit, no gratitude. Use for any logical connection. 之所以...归功于... only works for positive achievements.
之所以...是因为...
'The reason... is because...' — explains a cause neutrally. Use this when you're just analyzing; use 归功于 when you're crediting.
归咎于...
'Attribute the blame to' — the negative twin of 归功于. Use when assigning fault, not credit.
Practice
Fill in: 他____能考上大学，____老师的帮助。
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之所以, 归功于
Translate to Chinese: The reason the project succeeded is thanks to the manager's leadership.
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这个项目之所以成功，归功于经理的领导。
Arrange: 我 / 之所以 / 进步 / 这么 / 大 / ， / 归功于 / 我的 / 家人
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我之所以进步这么大，归功于我的家人。
Use 之所以...归功于... to credit someone for an achievement of yours.
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我之所以学好中文，归功于我的中国朋友。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 之所以... 归功于... in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
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