Formal Purpose: ……以纪念/以激励/以……
……，以纪念/以激励/以……
Use the formal purpose connector 以 to express "in order to" in written and official Chinese
The main clause describes an action or measure that has been taken, followed by 以 + a verb phrase expressing the formal purpose. The 以 here functions as "in order to" and is distinctly formal and literary.
以 as a purpose connector is a classical Chinese survival that remains highly productive in modern formal writing. It differs from 为了 (which can appear at the beginning of a sentence) in that 以 almost always follows the main clause. Common collocations include 以纪念 (to commemorate), 以激励 (to inspire/motivate), 以表示 (to express/show), 以确保 (to ensure), and 以促进 (to promote).
Lesson Targets
Podcast
Podcast: Formal Purpose: ……以纪念/以激励/以…… (……，以纪念/以激励/以……)
Listen to Jason & Amy explain the ……，以纪念/以激励/以…… pattern
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Understanding ……，以纪念/以激励/以……
In formal Chinese — news reports, government documents, academic papers, and ceremonial speeches — the purpose connector 以 appears with remarkable frequency. Where casual speech uses 为了 or 好 to express purpose, formal contexts demand the elegance and precision of 以. This single character, inherited from classical Chinese, packs enormous semantic weight: it signals deliberate, purposeful action undertaken with clear intent. When a news article says 政府采取新措施，以促进经济发展, the 以 conveys not just purpose but also institutional gravity and deliberateness. Learning to recognize and produce this pattern is essential for anyone who needs to read Chinese newspapers, write formal reports, or understand official communications.
Key Points
- 以 means "in order to" and connects an action to its formal purpose.
- It almost always appears after the main action clause, not at the beginning of the sentence.
- Extremely common in news, official documents, academic writing, and formal speeches.
- Common collocations: 以纪念 (to commemorate), 以激励 (to inspire), 以表示 (to show), 以确保 (to ensure), 以促进 (to promote), 以避免 (to avoid).
- In casual speech, 为了 or 好 replaces 以 — do not use 以 in everyday conversation.
- The verb after 以 is typically disyllabic and formal in register.
The 以 purpose construction reflects the deep influence of classical Chinese (文言文) on modern formal writing. In traditional Chinese governance and scholarship, brevity and precision were highly valued. This single-character connector embodies that principle and remains a cornerstone of official Chinese prose.
Key Vocabulary
Example Sentences
他们用英雄的名字命名这条街，以纪念在战争中牺牲的烈士。
They named this street after the hero, in order to commemorate the martyrs who sacrificed themselves in the war.
老师采用新的教学方法上课，以激励学生的学习积极性。
The teacher adopted new teaching methods in order to stimulate the students' enthusiasm for learning.
公司举办了庆祝活动，以表示对员工的感谢。
The company held a celebration to express gratitude to its employees.
政府加大了投资力度，以促进当地经济发展。
The government increased investment to promote local economic development.
学校制定了新规定，以确保学生的安全。
The school established new regulations to ensure student safety.
他发表了公开声明，以澄清外界的误解。
He issued a public statement to clarify the outside world's misunderstandings.
博物馆举办特别展览，以纪念建馆一百周年。
The museum held a special exhibition to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its founding.
Common Mistakes
Unlike 为了, the purpose connector 以 typically follows the main action clause. Placing it at the beginning sounds unnatural.
以 + bare negation (不/没) is not idiomatic. For avoidance, use the set phrase 以免 (so as to avoid). For positive purpose, 以 + formal disyllabic verb is required.
Practice Exercises
Tips & Tricks
When reading Chinese news, count how many times you see 以 used as "in order to" — it is extraordinarily common in formal reporting.
Build your vocabulary of 以 + verb collocations: 以纪念, 以激励, 以确保, 以促进, 以表示, 以避免, 以澄清.
Never use 以 as a purpose connector in casual speech — it will sound overly formal. Use 为了 instead.
Remember: 以 follows the action; 为了 precedes it. This word-order difference is key.
Homework
Find three sentences from a Chinese news article that use 以 as a purpose connector. Copy them, translate them, and then rewrite each one using 为了 to see how the register changes.