寓 A 于 B
to embed A in B; to convey A through B
Structure
寓 A 于 B （之中）
What it means
To embed A in B: a lesson, idea or feeling (A) is conveyed through a vehicle such as fun, scenery or a story (B).
How it is built
寓 + content (教, 理, 情, 知识) + 于 + vehicle (乐, 景, 事, 故事) (+ 之中): 寓教于乐 (teaching through entertainment); 这本书寓知识于故事之中.
When to use it
Written and formal, common in education and arts criticism. Short forms are fixed four-character phrases (寓教于乐, 寓情于景, 寓理于事); longer forms add 之中.
Watch out
Content first, vehicle second: ✗ 寓乐于教 ✓ 寓教于乐. Keep the classical 于: ✗ 寓教在乐.
Examples
这就是人们常说的“寓教于乐”：把道理藏在笑声里。
This is what people call “teaching through entertainment”: hiding the moral inside the laughter.
这本童书寓知识于故事之中，孩子们读得津津有味。
This children’s book wraps its facts in stories, and children read it with relish.
作者寓深情于平淡的叙述之中，读来格外感人。
The author hides deep feeling in plain narration, which makes it all the more moving to read.
Learn this in Lesson 234 · HSK 9+: 春晚 (The Spring Festival Gala)
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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