凭 vs 依据: what is the difference?
凭 is what a person relies on, and can sound doubtful: 凭什么? 依据 is formal and cites hard evidence like data or the law. 凭经验 and 依据数据 are typical.
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 凭 | píng | Introduces the thing a person relies on, such as experience, proof or effort. | 凭 + noun phrase，+ verb |
| 依据 | yī jù | Formal way to say "based on", used with facts, data and evidence. | 依据 + evidence or data，+ verb |
凭 (píng)
Introduces the thing a person relies on, such as experience, proof or effort.
Structure: 凭 + noun phrase，+ verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 凭这张票，你可以免费进入博物馆。 | Píng zhè zhāng piào, nǐ kě yǐ miǎn fèi jìn rù bó wù guǎn. | With this ticket, you can enter the museum for free. |
| 他凭自己的努力，考上了理想的大学。 | Tā píng zì jǐ de nǔ lì, kǎo shàng le lǐ xiǎng de dà xué. | Through his own effort, he got into his dream university. |
| 你凭什么说我没有努力？ | Nǐ píng shén me shuō wǒ méi yǒu nǔ lì? | On what grounds do you say I did not try hard? |
Not: 他凭很努力考上了大学。 凭 takes a noun phrase, not an adjective. Say 他凭努力 or 他凭自己的努力。
依据 (yī jù)
Formal way to say "based on", used with facts, data and evidence.
Structure: 依据 + evidence or data，+ verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 法院依据合同的条款作出了判决。 | Fǎ yuàn yī jù hé tóng de tiáo kuǎn zuò chū le pàn jué. | The court gave its ruling on the basis of the contract terms. |
| 医生依据检查结果制定了治疗方案。 | Yī shēng yī jù jiǎn chá jié guǒ zhì dìng le zhì liáo fāng àn. | The doctor drew up the treatment plan based on the test results. |
| 老师依据学生的成绩来分班。 | Lǎo shī yī jù xué shēng de chéng jì lái fēn bān. | The teacher sorts the classes according to students' grades. |
Not: 依据我朋友说，这家店不错。 依据 takes evidence such as data, not what a person said. Use 据我朋友说 or 听我朋友说。
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of Basis Prepositions: 凭、依据、依照 (HSK 5) in the grammar reference, which has the full explanation, more worked examples, and what to learn before and after it.
More pairs: 从而 vs 因此 · 从…来看 vs 在…看来 · 大都 vs 都 · 跟…相比 vs 跟…一样 · 过于 vs 太 · 看不得 vs 看不懂 · 累坏了 vs 累得不得了 · 起来 vs 下去 · 仍旧 vs 依旧 · 为了 vs 为的是 · 有 vs 有着 · 再次 vs 又 · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 凭 and 依据?
凭 is what a person relies on, and can sound doubtful: 凭什么? 依据 is formal and cites hard evidence like data or the law. 凭经验 and 依据数据 are typical.
GraphChinese drills each of these patterns and schedules the review that keeps it. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
Start at your true level