HSK 5
以便: So That / In Order To in Chinese
以便 introduces the intended purpose made possible by a preceding action or arrangement. The first clause states what someone does; the 以便 clause states the positive goal this is meant to facilitate. It is common in planned, explanatory, or formal contexts and differs from result markers that report what already happened.
STRUCTURE
Preparation, 以便 + Intended Purpose
When to use 以便… — and when not
Use it when
- To state the positive purpose of a preparation: 请早点告诉我，以便我安排时间。
- To explain why information is written down: 我把地址写下来，以便以后查找。
- To connect an action with the task it is meant to make easier: 我们坐在前面，以便看清黑板。
Don't use it when
- For an outcome that has already happened; 以便 presents an intended purpose, not a reported consequence.
- For a purpose centered on preventing an unwanted event; 以免 or another avoidance form is usually the clearer choice.
- Do not combine 以便 with another purpose marker in the same slot or place it inside the purpose clause's verb-object phrase.
Right vs. wrong
请早点告诉我，为了以便我安排时间。
请早点告诉我，以便我安排时间。
Two purpose markers are stacked before the same clause
为了 and 以便 both try to introduce the same purpose clause. Choose one marker; here 以便 directly links the earlier action to the intended arrangement.
请把名字写清楚，老师检查以便作业。
请把名字写清楚，以便老师检查作业。
以便 is inserted between a verb and its object
以便 introduces the whole purpose clause 老师检查作业. It cannot split the verb 检查 from its object 作业.
Examples
请早点告诉我，以便我安排时间。
Qǐng zǎodiǎn gàosu wǒ, yǐbiàn wǒ ānpái shíjiān.
Please tell me earlier so that I can arrange my time.
我把地址写下来，以便以后查找。
Wǒ bǎ dìzhǐ xiě xiàlai, yǐbiàn yǐhòu cházhǎo.
I wrote down the address so that I could find it later.
我们坐在前面，以便看清黑板。
Wǒmen zuò zài qiánmiàn, yǐbiàn kànqīng hēibǎn.
We sat at the front so that we could see the board clearly.
老师说得很慢，以便学生听清楚。
Lǎoshī shuō de hěn màn, yǐbiàn xuésheng tīng qīngchu.
The teacher spoke slowly so that the students could hear clearly.
请把名字写清楚，以便老师检查作业。
Qǐng bǎ míngzi xiě qīngchu, yǐbiàn lǎoshī jiǎnchá zuòyè.
Please write your name clearly so that the teacher can check the homework.
Common mistakes
请早点告诉我，为了以便我安排时间。
Qǐng zǎodiǎn gàosu wǒ, wèile yǐbiàn wǒ ānpái shíjiān.
Do not stack 为了 and 以便 before one purpose clause; use 以便我安排时间。
请把名字写清楚，老师检查以便作业。
Qǐng bǎ míngzi xiě qīngchu, lǎoshī jiǎnchá yǐbiàn zuòyè.
Put 以便 before the whole purpose clause: 以便老师检查作业。
Think you've got it?
Write your own 以便… sentence and check that grammar point first.
以便: So That / In Order To FAQ
What does 以便 mean in Chinese grammar?
以便 introduces a positive intended purpose enabled by the preceding action. A natural English translation is “so that” or “in order to,” depending on the sentence.
What is the difference between 以便 and 以免?
以便 introduces a goal the speaker wants to make possible. 以免 introduces an unwanted event the speaker wants to prevent, so the two forms point in opposite practical directions.
Is 以便 the same as 所以?
No. 以便 looks forward to an intended purpose, while 所以 normally introduces a consequence or conclusion. Do not replace one with the other solely because both can follow an earlier clause.