si6 ceot1 jau5 jan1事出有因

Jyutpingsi6 ceot1 jau5 jan1

Yalesih chēut yáuh yān

Definition

Everything happens for a reason; there is a cause behind every incident.

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How it's used

This idiom is used to suggest that an event or behavior is not random but stems from a specific, often hidden, cause. It carries a slightly formal or literary tone, so it is more common in explanations or serious discussions than in casual banter. It functions as a predicate, often paired with 係 or appearing at the end of a clause to provide justification.

Examples

keoi5佢dat6突jin4然ci4辭zik1職，si6事ceot1出jau5有jan1因㗎。

He resigned suddenly; there is a reason for it.

nei5你gok3覺dak1得keoi5佢gam3咁zou6做hai6係si6事ceot1出jau5有jan1因me1咩？

Do you think there is a reason for him acting like that?

Common phrases

si6事ceot1出jau5有jan1因，bit1必jau5有kei4其gwo2果

Everything happens for a reason, and every action has a consequence.

Common mistake

Learners often mistake this for a casual phrase like 點解，but it is a set idiom that implies a deeper, perhaps complex, background story rather than just asking for a simple reason.