导致 / 使得
A leads to B (导致: a bad result)
Structure
原因 导致／使得 结果
What it means
A leads to B. 导致 usually brings a bad result; 使得 simply makes something happen.
How it is built
Cause + 导致 + result: 人口老龄化导致劳动力减少 (Ageing leads to a shrinking workforce). Cause + 使得 + someone + verb: 高房价使得很多年轻人不敢结婚.
When to use it
导致 and 造成 take bad outcomes. 使, 使得 and 让 are neutral; 让 is the everyday spoken one. 使 and 使得 need a full clause after them: 使 + someone + verb.
Watch out
Don’t use 导致 for good results: ✗ 努力导致了成功。 ✓ 努力使他取得了成功。
Examples
人口老龄化导致劳动力减少。
Ageing leads to a shrinking workforce.
高房价使得很多年轻人不敢结婚。
High housing prices make many young people afraid to marry.
Learn this in Lesson 27 · HSK 5–6: 人口与老龄化 (Population and ageing)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
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