Instrumental 以 (with / by means of)

Structure 以 + instrument/means （+来） + verb

以 (yǐ) introduces the INSTRUMENT or MEANS by which something is done: "with, by means of, through". 以事实说明问题 = "to explain the problem with facts". When the link to the purpose verb is made more explicit, 来 is added: 以行动来证明 = "to prove it through action". This 以 is highly productive in cultured language and is the core of many written compounds (以…为主, 以此, 以便). Unlike colloquial 用 ("use X to…"), 以 is more abstract and formal and rarely takes bare physical objects.

Examples

我wǒ们men应yīng当dāng以yǐ事shì实shí说shuō明míng问wèn题tí。
We should explain the problem with facts.
他tā以yǐ行xíng动dòng来lái证zhèng明míng自zì己jǐ的de诚chéng意yì。
He proved his sincerity through action.
这zhè篇piān文wén章zhāng以yǐ小xiǎo见jiàn大dà，发fā人rén深shēn省xǐng。
This essay uses the small to reveal the large, and is thought-provoking.
政zhèng府fǔ决jué定dìng以yǐ法fǎ律lǜ手shǒu段duàn解jiě决jué纠jiū纷fēn。
The government decided to settle the dispute by legal means.

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