因人而异
- Literal
- according to the person, and so it varies
- Figurative
- To vary from person to person: said of effects, tastes or needs that differ between individuals; also, to tailor something to each person.
Where does 因人而异 come from?
It does not come from a story: it follows a productive classical pattern, 因 X 而异, "varies according to X." 因 means "according to," 而 links both halves in the classical way, and 异 means "to be different." The same pattern gives 因时而异 ("depending on the times") and 因地而异 ("depending on the place"). It describes effects, tastes or needs that differ from person to person, and also of tailoring something to each person (教学要因人而异). Unlike 见仁见智, which poses a debatable question everyone judges their own way, it simply states that something varies: how a medicine works, how long learning something takes.
How is 因人而异 used? Two examples
- 这种药的效果因人而异，有的人很快见效，有的人却没什么反应。
How well this medicine works varies from person to person: some feel the effects right away, while others barely respond at all.
- 学会一门外语要多长时间，因人而异。
How long it takes to learn a foreign language differs from one person to the next.
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