<p>来源于 - (?) comes from. The (?) is something intangible, such as knowledge, concept, story. Name is the symbol of something and is considered intangible.</p>
<p>來自於 - (?) comes from. The (?) is something tangible, an item, goods, commodity...</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-24T15:47:06.273Z
Doesn’t this imply I should use 来源于， as I did and not 来自于， as the correction suggested?!
Ludi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-24T16:02:09.247Z
信息 is "information", which is intangible.  If you mean to say "the letter came from...", then "來自於" is correct, as the letter is written on a piece of paper, that is tangible. Hope this helps to clear the confusion.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-24T16:12:46.980Z
If you mean the information came from the "Thucydides Trap", then correct.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-24T16:15:43.637Z
Yes, correct, but note the typo (my dictionary told me so :)
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-24T16:41:18.273Z
totally right. As a Greek, I know of course how it’s written, but when I start it, my iPad proposes the wrong one!
Ludi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-24T15:44:49.507Z
2021-09-24T15:44:49.507Z
r13
<p>源 means source as in 起源、來源。</p>
<p>來自於/來自 means where something comes from.<br>
源自於/源於/源自 means where something originates from.</p>
<p>One might say &quot;This orange comes from California 這顆柳橙來自於加州.&quot; Since citrus fruit  originated from southern China, I would not say 柳橙源於加州, which means, incorrectly, orange first evolved/appeared in California.</p>
<p>I can accept 來自於、來自、源自於、源自 and 源於．來源於 is new to me.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-25T11:43:52.493Z
Thank you! Very interesting point that the whole combination 來源於 is weird for some speakers!
Ludi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-25T02:11:38.050Z
2021-09-25T02:29:00.517Z
2021-09-25T02:29:00.517Z
joehua
<p>Recently, on a language exchange platform, I tried to describe one of my favourite books (Thucydides, from which I had to study many passages) as follows:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>我所喜歡的書頗多，包含古希臘的經文在內。比如說希臘歷史學家修昔底德的傑作《伯羅奔尼撒戰爭》。它以一次內戰為题目，敘述它的來源和發展。大家討論的「修昔底德陷阱」也來源於此。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Native speakers made several corrections, but I think it is more useful for future users if I split them into different questions.</p>
<p>The correction that left me most desperate and frankly shook my conviction that I can ever bring my Chinese to an intermediate level, was when I was told to replace 來源於 with  with 來自於。From a Google search it appears that some people at least don’t mind describing the origin of names with 來源於. See <a href="http://www.360doc.com/content/18/0911/23/32901809_785820728.shtml" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>, where the title reads:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>好名字来源于典故，看看你的名字来源于哪里</p>
</blockquote>
<p>But, if I google “这条信息来源于“, many hits are from the same text. Must I only use 來源於 with names and not with most other forms of verbal information? Even a phrase such „Thucydides‘ Trap“? I am very confused!</p>

<word-choice>
When to use 來源於 and when to use 來自於
# When to use 來源於 and when to use 來自於

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-09-24)

Recently, on a language exchange platform, I tried to describe one of my favourite books (Thucydides, from which I had to study many passages) as follows:

> 我所喜歡的書頗多，包含古希臘的經文在內。比如說希臘歷史學家修昔底德的傑作《伯羅奔尼撒戰爭》。它以一次內戰為题目，敘述它的來源和發展。大家討論的「修昔底德陷阱」也來源於此。

Native speakers made several corrections, but I think it is more useful for future users if I split them into different questions.

The correction that left me most desperate and frankly shook my conviction that I can ever bring my Chinese to an intermediate level, was when I was told to replace 來源於 with with 來自於。From a Google search it appears that some people at least don’t mind describing the origin of names with 來源於. See [here](http://www.360doc.com/content/18/0911/23/32901809_785820728.shtml), where the title reads:

> 好名字来源于典故，看看你的名字来源于哪里

But, if I google “这条信息来源于“, many hits are from the same text. Must I only use 來源於 with names and not with most other forms of verbal information? Even a phrase such „Thucydides‘ Trap“? I am very confused!

**Tags:** word-choice


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2021-09-24. Score: 1

来源于 - (?) comes from. The (?) is something intangible, such as knowledge, concept, story. Name is the symbol of something and is considered intangible.

來自於 - (?) comes from. The (?) is something tangible, an item, goods, commodity...

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Doesn’t this imply I should use 来源于， as I did and not 来自于， as the correction suggested?!  
> **username_1**: 信息 is "information", which is intangible.  If you mean to say "the letter came from...", then "來自於" is correct, as the letter is written on a piece of paper, that is tangible. Hope this helps to clear the confusion.  
> **username_1**: If you mean the information came from the "Thucydides Trap", then correct.  
> **username_1**: Yes, correct, but note the typo (my dictionary told me so :)  
> **username_0**: totally right. As a Greek, I know of course how it’s written, but when I start it, my iPad proposes the wrong one!  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2021-09-25. Score: 1

源 means source as in 起源、來源。

來自於/來自 means where something comes from.  
源自於/源於/源自 means where something originates from.

One might say "This orange comes from California 這顆柳橙來自於加州." Since citrus fruit originated from southern China, I would not say 柳橙源於加州, which means, incorrectly, orange first evolved/appeared in California.

I can accept 來自於、來自、源自於、源自 and 源於．來源於 is new to me.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you! Very interesting point that the whole combination 來源於 is weird for some speakers!  

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