〜由 (~yoshi) — I hear that ~ (letters)
The old-style letter form for mentioning news you have heard about the other person.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
- If a former department head who helped you in Japan is promoted and transferred, the formal letter or card you send will say: 「ご栄転の由、心よりお祝い申し上げます」— 'I hear you have been promoted; my heartfelt congratulations.'
- It is very old-fashioned and formal — today you see it only in formal letters, New Year cards or very polite email, never in speech.
Meaning
「由（よし）」means 'what I have heard from others'.
How to attach
- Attach it straight after the plain form of a verb (ご入院された由); after a noun use 「の」(ご結婚の由・お元気の由).
- What follows is your feeling about that news: お祝い申し上げます・安心いたしました・お見舞い申し上げます.
Versus what you know
- N3It is the old letter version of the 「〜とのことです」(I hear).
- Don't mix it up with the previous point, 「旨」: 「旨」is a message I send to others (遅れる旨を伝える), while 「由」is news I received from others — usually about the reader or the reader's family.
Watch out
It can't be used for your own action (私が帰国する由); there you need 「旨」.
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
新しい支店の店長にご就任の由、心よりお祝い申し上げます。
あたらしいしてんのてんちょうにごしゅうにんのよし、こころよりおいわいもうしあげます。
I hear you have become manager of the new branch — my heartfelt congratulations.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 店長にご就任 = being appointed manager (respectful noun) → 「の」 → 「由」= I heard it happened → then the feeling: 心よりお祝い申し上げます = heartfelt congratulations.
お父様がご入院なさった由、心よりお見舞い申し上げます。
おとうさまがごにゅういんなさったよし、こころよりおみまいもうしあげます。
I hear your father has been admitted to the hospital; please accept my sincere wishes for his recovery.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) お父様がご入院なさった = your father was admitted to the hospital (respectful, Vた) → 「由」 attaches as is = I heard it happened → お見舞い申し上げます = my wishes for his recovery.
皆様お元気でお過ごしの由、安心いたしました。
みなさまおげんきでおすごしのよし、あんしんいたしました。
I was relieved to hear that you are all keeping well.
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) お元気でお過ごし = you are keeping well (respectful noun) → 「の」 → 「由」= I heard so → 安心いたしました = I was relieved (letter style).
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
「ご結婚＿＿由、心よりお祝い申し上げます。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint: ご結婚 is a noun.
N + の + 由. ご結婚の由 = I hear you got married.
In which sentence is 「由」unnatural?
💡 Hint: 由 = news heard from others. What about telling others your own news?
To tell others your own plan, say 「帰国する旨、ご連絡いたします」. 由 is only for news you heard about the other side.
In a letter, which is closest in meaning to 「ご栄転の由」?
💡 Hint: Here 由 is not 'reason'.
In letters 由 = 'I hear that' (the old form of とのこと). It is not 'reason' as in 理由.
Your score: /3