TOPIK II · LEVEL 4
-에 의해(서)
-에 의해(서) means 'by (agent or cause)', often in passive sentences and formal writing.
격식 표현Formal & written phrasesHan: The fixed form is 에 의해, even for people (not 에게 의해).
Examples
이 다리는 유명한 건축가에 의해 설계되었다.This bridge was designed by a famous architect.
모든 일은 법에 의해 처리됩니다.Everything is handled according to the law.
태풍에 의한 피해가 컸다.The damage caused by the typhoon was severe.
Don’t mix up
-에 의해(서)vs-(으)로 인해(서)(으)로 인해 = 'because of' (a cause); 에 의해 = 'by' an agent or according to a rule: 사고로 인해 늦었다 vs 경찰에 의해 체포되었다.How to build it
N+에 의해(서)
N+에 의한+N
사람 → 사람에 의해, 법 → 법에 의해
- Before a noun: N에 의한 N: 화재에 의한 피해 'damage caused by the fire'.
- Formal; in speech a simple active sentence is usually more natural.
Classic mistake
Wrong: 범인은 경찰에게 의해 잡혔다.
Right: 범인은 경찰에 의해 잡혔다.
The fixed form is 에 의해, even for people (not 에게 의해).
Practise -에 의해(서) on real TOPIK questions
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All TOPIK grammar- -을/를 통해(서)N을/를 통해(서) means 'through / by way of N' — the channel, medium or experience by which something happens.
- -(으)나-(으)나 is a formal written 'but / however', linking two contrasting clauses.
- -(으)되-(으)되 states or allows a first action and then adds a condition or limit to it, in a formal or written style.
- -(이)면 (조사)Attaches to a noun to mean 'if it is N / whenever it is N'; repeated as N(이)면 N, it means 'in every field, whatever you name'.
- -(으)ㄹ 게 아니라Use it to say that doing X is not the right move, so you should do Y instead: "rather than doing X, do Y."
- -(으)ㄹ 무렵-(으)ㄹ 무렵 means 'around the time when …'.
- -(으)ㄹ 리가 없다Use -(으)ㄹ 리가 없다 when you are convinced that something cannot possibly be true or happen, based on what you know.
- -(으)로 인해(서)-(으)로 인해(서) means 'due to / because of' (a cause), in formal speech and writing.
- -(으)ㄹ 바에는Use -(으)ㄹ 바에는 to say that if the only way is to do this unpleasant thing, you would rather do something else instead.