由... V ...
Reach for 由 when you want to specify WHO initiated or carries out an action — similar to 'by' in English passive sentences, but used in active-voice statements. 'The attack was launched by Israel.' 'The meeting will be chaired by Mr. Wang.' Common in news, official announcements, formal writing, and any context where you want to name the agent responsible. It signals attribution and responsibility, not just who did it physically.
Structure
[EVENT/RESULT] 由 [AGENT] [VERB] ...
...yóu... V ...
How to Think About It
由 names the agent in charge — the one with the authority or responsibility to act, not just a passing doer. That's why it shows up in announcements, contracts, and news ('the policy was issued BY the Ministry'). It's a formal-register move; in casual speech you'd usually drop 由 and just use a normal subject. Putting 由 around someone tells the listener 'this person OWNS the action.'
Examples
这个项目由王经理负责。
Zhège xiàngmù yóu Wáng jīnglǐ fùzé.
This project is in charge of Manager Wang.
晚饭由我来做。
Wǎnfàn yóu wǒ lái zuò.
Dinner will be made by me.
会议由校长主持。
Huìyì yóu xiàozhǎng zhǔchí.
The meeting is chaired by the principal.
Common Mistake
Learners reach for 由 in everyday active sentences where it adds no value — 我由筷子吃饭 sounds bizarre because there's no formal attribution involved. 由 belongs in formal contexts with named institutions, leaders, or responsible parties.
我由我妈妈做饭。
今晚的饭由我妈妈做。
Don't Confuse With
被 + Agent + Verb
True passive voice — focuses on what happened to the object, often with negative tone ('the cup was broken by him'). 由 focuses on who is RESPONSIBLE, often with neutral or positive tone ('the project will be led by him').
用 + Tool + Verb
用 introduces a TOOL or method, not a responsible agent. '用筷子吃饭' (eat with chopsticks) — chopsticks aren't responsible, they're the instrument. Use 由 only for people, organizations, or named parties.
从 + Place/Source
从 indicates origin or starting point ('from Beijing'). Looks similar phonetically to 由 in some uses, but 从 is about location/time source, not the agent doing the action.
Practice
这次活动____老师组织。
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由
新政策由政府____布。
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发
Put in order: [由 / 决定 / 这件事 / 你 / 自己 / 来]
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这件事由你自己来决定。
Translate to Chinese: 'The report was written by our team.'
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这份报告由我们团队完成。
Write a sentence assigning responsibility for a task using 由.
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Example answer: 明天的会议由我主持。 (Tomorrow's meeting will be chaired by me.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 由... V ... in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this pattern shows up again and again in real context. The transcript marks it, the audio drills it. Free to start, no card.