由

The glyph marks origin—spatial, causal, or agentive—following a logic of movement from a source toward a result.

• Spatial: "from" or "out of."
• Causal: "because of," "due to," or "owing to"; identifies the catalyst or underlying reason.
• Noun: The "reason" or "cause." In philosophical contexts, this may refer to the fundamental source or principle from which a thing arises.

• Sequential Construction: The pattern 由...而... bridges a physical or situational origin with a subsequent result or action.
• Agent Marker: Marks the agent responsible for an action ("by" or "through the agency of"), particularly in constructions suggesting a passive voice.

[DISTINITIONS]

• vs. 自 (zì): While both indicate origin, 自 typically marks a static starting point, whereas 由 often implies a conduit, path, or the process of emergence.
• vs. 以 (yǐ): Both can be translated as "by" or "because of," but 以 generally denotes the instrument or immediate means ("with which"), while 由 denotes the underlying catalyst or origin ("from which").