克里斯托弗·哥伦布之所以成为探险家，不是因为他热爱大海，而是因为他讨厌西班牙的监狱。

Christopher Columbus wasn't an explorer because he loved the sea. He was an explorer because he hated Spanish jails.

Source: Tatoeba

Sentence Composition

1 克里斯托弗 Kèlǐsītuōfú (Warren) Christopher
2 哥伦布 Gēlúnbù
  1. Cristóbal Colón or Christopher Columbus (1451-1506)
  2. Columbus, capital of Ohio
3 之所以 zhīsuǒyǐ
  1. (after a noun N and before a predicate P) the reason why N P
  2. Example: 我之所以讨厌他 wǒzhīsuǒyǐtǎoyàntā "the reason why I dislike him (is ...)"
4 成为 chéngwéi to become; to turn into
5 探险家 tànxiǎnjiā explorer
=6 不是 bùshì
  1. no
  2. is not
  3. not
=6 不是 bùshi fault; blame
7 因为 yīnwèi
  1. because
  2. owing to
  3. on account of
8 他 tā
  1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his
  2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 tārì and 他人 tārén)
=9 热爱 rèài
  1. to love ardently
  2. to adore
=9 热爱 rè'ài to have a passion for; to have a deep love for; to love with all one's heart
10 大海 dàhǎi
  1. sea
  2. ocean
11 而是 érshì rather
12 因为 yīnwèi
  1. because
  2. owing to
  3. on account of
13 他 tā
  1. (third-person singular) (since the early 20th century, usu. male) he; him; his
  2. (bound form) other; another; some other (as in 他日 tārì and 他人 tārén)
14 讨厌 tǎoyàn
  1. to dislike
  2. to loathe
  3. disagreeable
  4. troublesome
  5. annoying
15 西班牙 Xībānyá Spain
=16 的 de
  1. of; ~'s (possessive particle)
  2. (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun)
  3. (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis)
  4. (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的 pígéde "one made of leather" or 跑堂儿的 pǎotángrde "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的 xīnde "new one")
  5. also pr. dì or di in poetry and songs
=16 的 dī a taxi; a cab (abbr. for 的士 dīshì)
=16 的 dí really and truly
=16 的 dì (bound form) bull's-eye; target
17 监狱 jiānyù prison