conjunction
therefore; consequently; accordingly
Formal conjunction used to state a logical conclusion or result based on the preceding statement. Common in written Japanese and formal speech.
本日は祝日のため、よって休業いたします。
Today is a public holiday; therefore, we will be closed.
彼は証
He was found not guilty due to insufficient evidence. Accordingly, he will be released immediately.
だから is a more casual and common way to say 'therefore' or 'so' in everyday conversation, while よって is formal and often used in writing or official contexts.
したがって is also a formal conjunction meaning 'therefore' or 'accordingly', but it emphasizes following a rule or logical consequence, whereas よって is slightly more direct in stating a result.
Derived from the classical Japanese verb よる (因る・依る), meaning 'to be based on' or 'to be due to', in its conjunctive form よりて, which contracted to よって. The kanji forms reflect this origin but are now rarely used.