~에 의한

§ What ~에 의한 Means

The Korean phrase ~에 의한 (pronounced: eh yui-han) is an important grammatical construction you'll encounter frequently. At its core, it means 'by means of' or 'caused by' something. It's used to indicate the agent, instrument, or cause of an action or state. Think of it as answering the question 'how?' or 'by whom/what?' when you're talking about something being done or happening.

This phrase is often found in more formal contexts, such as news reports, academic writing, or official documents, but it's also used in everyday speech, especially when you want to be precise about the cause or method of something. It's a versatile expression that helps you describe who or what is responsible for an action.

§ How to Use It

When you use ~에 의한, it typically attaches to a noun. This noun is the 'doer' or the 'cause' of the action. The structure generally looks like this:

• [Noun] + 에 의한 + [another Noun]

In this structure, the first noun is what is causing or performing the action described by the second noun. Let's look at some examples to make this clearer.

§ Real-World Examples

Let's dive into some practical examples to see how ~에 의한 is used in sentences.

Definition

An announcement by the government.

Here, '정부' (government) is the agent making the '발표' (announcement).

Definition

An accident caused by a mistake.

In this case, '실수' (mistake) is the cause of the '사고' (accident).

Definition

Changes brought about by new technology.

Here, '새로운 기술' (new technology) is the means or cause of the '변화' (changes).

Definition

An explanation by the teacher.

'선생님' (teacher) is the one providing the '설명' (explanation).

§ When to Use It (and When Not To)

~에 의한 is particularly useful when you want to emphasize the source or cause of something. It's often used in passive constructions, although Korean doesn't have a direct equivalent to the English passive voice in the same way. Instead, ~에 의한 allows you to express similar ideas by highlighting the agent.

For instance, instead of saying "The government announced something" (정부가 무엇인가를 발표했다), which focuses on the government as the subject, you might say "An announcement by the government" (정부에 의한 발표) to focus on the announcement itself, with the government as the source.

However, you don't use ~에 의한 for simple actions where the subject is clear and active. For example, you wouldn't say "나에 의한 밥을 먹었다" (I ate rice by me). That would sound very unnatural. For direct actions, the standard subject-verb structure is sufficient.

Definition

The painting is a work by a famous artist.

This sentence effectively communicates that the artist is the creator of the painting.

Definition

Damage caused by environmental pollution is severe.

Here, '환경 오염' (environmental pollution) is clearly identified as the cause of the '피해' (damage).

In summary, ~에 의한 is your go-to phrase when you need to specify the agent, instrument, or cause of a noun. It adds clarity and precision to your Korean sentences, especially in situations where you want to describe how or by whom something was done or came to be.

The Korean phrase ~에 의한 (pronounced 'e-e ui-han') is an important grammatical construct you'll encounter frequently. It acts like the English phrase 'by means of' or 'caused by'. This means it tells you how something was done or what caused it. Think of it as indicating the agent or instrument of an action, particularly when the sentence structure uses a passive or nominalized form. You'll see it a lot in more formal writing, news reports, and academic contexts, but it's also useful in everyday conversation for adding a bit more precision to your statements.

Let's break down how to use it. The core structure is pretty straightforward: you attach ~에 의한 to a noun. This noun is what is performing the action or causing the effect. It's crucial to remember that ~에 의한 itself functions as an adjective, modifying a following noun. If you want to use it to describe a verb, you'll first need to nominalize that verb (turn it into a noun), which is often done by adding 것 (geot) or 기 (gi) to the verb stem, though ~에 의한 usually follows nouns directly.

§ Basic Structure

Structure

Noun + 에 의한 + Noun

In this form, the first noun is the agent or cause, and the second noun is what is being affected or described. Let's look at some examples:

§ In Passive Sentences

~에 의한 is very commonly used in passive sentence constructions, where the subject of the sentence is receiving the action, rather than performing it. In these cases, ~에 의한 tells you who or what performed the action that the subject received.

In these examples, '작가에 의해' (jak-ga-e ui-hae) means 'by the author' and '대통령에 의해' (dae-tong-nyeong-e ui-hae) means 'by the president'. Notice how '의한' changes to '의해' when it directly precedes a verb that is being acted upon. This is a common variation, with '의해' being more verb-modifying and '의한' being more noun-modifying.

§ Expressing Cause or Reason

Beyond agents, ~에 의한 can also indicate the cause or reason for something. This is where the 'caused by' meaning comes in handy.

Here, '부주의에 의한' (bu-ju-ui-e ui-han) means 'caused by carelessness' and '날씨 변화에 의한' (nal-ssi byeon-hwa-e ui-han) means 'due to weather changes'. This usage is common when discussing events that have a clear cause and effect.

§ Formal vs. Informal

While you'll hear ~에 의한 in spoken Korean, it definitely leans towards a more formal tone. In casual conversation, Koreans might use simpler constructions or different particles to convey similar meanings. For example, to say 'written by a famous author' casually, you might say '유명한 작가가 쓴 소설' (yoo-myeong-han jak-ga-ga sseun so-seol - novel that a famous author wrote). However, understanding and using ~에 의한 correctly will significantly improve your comprehension of formal texts and your ability to express complex ideas with precision.

§ Key Takeaways

• ~에 의한 links a noun (agent/cause) to another noun (affected item).
• It translates to 'by means of' or 'caused by'.
• It's frequently seen in passive constructions.
• The form can change to ~에 의해 when directly preceding a verb.
• It adds a formal or precise tone to your sentences.

Practice using ~에 의한 in your own sentences. Try to describe something that was done by someone, or something that happened because of a particular reason. The more you use it, the more natural it will feel!

§ What ~에 의한 Means

Korean Word

~에 의한

Pronunciation

e-e ui-han

Part of Speech

Grammatical structure (like an adjective or adverb depending on usage)

CEFR Level

A2

Definition

By means of or caused by something.

The Korean phrase '~에 의한' is super useful for showing cause or means. Think of it like saying 'by' or 'due to' in English, especially when you're talking about something being done or caused by a specific agent or method. It often comes after a noun and tells you what brought about the action or state.

§ Where You'll Hear This Phrase

You'll encounter '~에 의한' quite a bit in formal settings, like news reports, academic papers, and official announcements. It's less common in casual conversation, but still good to know for understanding a wider range of Korean.

• News: News channels and articles frequently use '~에 의한' to explain the cause of events. For example, a report about a natural disaster might say '태풍에 의한 피해' (damage caused by the typhoon).
• Work/Business: In business documents or presentations, you might see it when discussing results or reasons. Think '시장 조사에 의한 결과' (results from market research).
• School/Academia: Textbooks and lectures use it to attribute theories, findings, or methods. You might hear '과학자에 의한 발견' (discovery by a scientist).

§ Examples in Context

Let's look at some practical examples so you can see how this phrase works in real sentences. Pay attention to how it links the noun (the cause or means) to the outcome.

Translation hint: A new policy was announced by the government.

Translation hint: This accident was due to the driver's carelessness.

Translation hint: The results from long research have finally come out.

Translation hint: That building was designed by a famous architect.

§ What ~에 의한 means

The Korean phrase '~에 의한' (pronounced '~e ui-han') is a super useful one. It's often used to show who or what caused something to happen, or what something was made by. Think of it like saying 'by means of' or 'caused by' in English. It's really common in both spoken and written Korean, especially when you're talking about actions, reports, or results.

DEFINITION

By means of or caused by something.

You'll often see this phrase attached to a noun. That noun is usually the agent or the cause. Let's look at some examples to make it clearer.

§ Common Mistakes with ~에 의한

Even though '~에 의한' is quite common, learners often make a few specific mistakes. Let's go over them so you can avoid them.

• Confusing it with just '~에'

  The particle '~에' itself has many meanings, including 'to' or 'at'. While '~에 의한' includes '~에', it adds the nuance of 'by means of' or 'due to'. Just using '~에' usually won't convey the same meaning of agency or cause. For example:

  서울에 가다. (Go to Seoul.)

  Here, '서울에' simply indicates the destination. It doesn't mean 'caused by Seoul'. If you want to say something was caused by Seoul, you'd need the full '~에 의한'.

• Using it with verbs directly

  As mentioned, '~에 의한' attaches to nouns. You can't just put it after a verb stem. If you want to express a cause related to an action, you'd usually nominalize the verb first (turn it into a noun) or use a different grammatical structure. For instance, you might use '-(으)ㅁ에 의해' if you're nominalizing a verb, but that's a more advanced structure. For beginners, stick to nouns.

  틀린: 공부하다에 의한 (Incorrect: by studying)

  맞는: 노력에 의한 성공. (Correct: Success by effort.)

• Overusing it

  While useful, don't feel like you have to use '~에 의한' in every sentence where something is caused by something else. Sometimes, simpler structures are more natural. For example, if the agent is clear from context or you're using a passive verb, you might not need it.

  그 소문은 친구에 의해 퍼졌다. (The rumor spread by a friend.)

  This sentence uses '~에 의해' (a related form) and is perfectly natural. However, sometimes simpler active constructions are also an option, depending on what you want to emphasize.

• Misunderstanding its nuance in specific contexts

  In official documents or formal speech, '~에 의한' is very common. It adds a formal and somewhat objective tone. If you're having a casual conversation, using it too much might sound a bit stiff. Be mindful of the context.

  By being aware of these common pitfalls, you can use '~에 의한' more accurately and naturally in your Korean conversations and writing. Keep practicing, and you'll get the hang of it!

§ What ~에 의한 Means

The Korean phrase '~에 의한' (pronounced 'e-e ui-han') is a super useful one. It literally means 'by means of' or 'caused by'. You'll see it a lot when talking about how something happened, who did it, or what was responsible for it. Think of it like saying 'by' or 'through' in English, especially when referring to an action's agent or cause.

§ How to Use ~에 의한

You attach '~에 의한' to a noun. This noun is the thing or person that causes or performs the action. It's often used in more formal contexts, like news reports, scientific papers, or official statements, but you'll also hear it in everyday conversations when the speaker wants to emphasize the cause or agent.