Therefore / hence (literary 故)

Structure Cause / reason，(是)故 + conclusion

故 (gù) is a Classical Chinese causal connector still used in formal, legal and essayistic prose to chain a conclusion: "therefore, hence, thus". 证据确凿，故予以采纳 = "the evidence is conclusive; therefore it is admitted". The variant 是故 ("for this reason") is even more solemn and belongs to texts with a classical tone. It is equivalent to 因此 / 所以 (HSK 4) but outdoes them in formality and concision: it appears with no subject before it and usually opens the closing clause. In speech it would sound affected.

Examples

证zhèng据jù确què凿záo，故gù予yǔ以yǐ采cǎi纳nà。
The evidence is conclusive; therefore it is admitted.
此cǐ事shì关guān系xì重zhòng大dà，故gù须xū谨jǐn慎shèn处chǔ理lǐ。
This matter is of great import; hence it must be handled with caution.
人rén无wú远yuǎn虑lǜ，必bì有yǒu近jìn忧yōu，是shì故gù当dāng未wèi雨yǔ绸chóu缪móu。
One who takes no thought for the distant will soon have troubles at hand; for this reason one should prepare in advance.
原yuán文wén已yǐ失shī，故gù无wú从cóng考kǎo证zhèng。
The original text has been lost; therefore there is no way to verify it.

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