Comparing "dui" and "duiyu"

对 and 对于 maybe be confused by Chinese learners as they advance into more complex grammar. This article will help in distinguishing the the two!

Same as prep.

When 对 and 对于 are used as prepositions, they are basically the same. As a matter of fact, when used this way 对 is just the simplification of 对于!

Structure

对/对于 + 动作对象 + Verb

Examples

• 对于 这 种 事情，你 有 什么 看法？
• 对 这 种 事情，你 有 什么 看法？
• These both mean "As for this kind of thing, what's your perspective?"
• 我 对于 上海 从来 没 喜欢 过 也 没 讨厌 过。
• 我 对 上海 从来 没 喜欢 过 也 没 讨厌 过。
• These both mean "I've never liked or disliked Shanghai.

对 can be placed in more parts of the sentence

对 can be placed before the subject, after the subject, or after the adverb. 对于 in the middle of a sentence can only be placed after the adverb.

Examples

• 对 这 个 问题，我们 都 很 感兴趣。
• 对于 这 个 问题，我们 都 很 感兴趣。

• 我们 对 这 个 问题 都 很 感兴趣。
• 我们 对于 这 个 问题 都 很 感兴趣。

• 我们 都 对 这 个 问题 很 感兴趣。

All of the above examples mean "We are all interested in this problem."

对 can be used as a verb

As a verb meaning "direction"

When 对 is used as a verb, it expresses the meaning of direction or purpose. It is often used in a verb phrase, like 对着, 对上, 对不上.

Subject + 对着/对上/对不上

Examples

• 枪口 不 要 对着 人。Don't point the gun at people.
• 我 喜欢 对着 镜子 笑。I like to laugh at the mirror.
• 这 两 本 账 对不上。These two accounts don't match up.

As a verb meaning "to treat"

对 as a verb can also mean to 对待, meaning "to treat". When the verb is like this, 对 can be used for people or abstract things.

A+ 对 + B + Adjective

Examples

• 我 的 男 朋友 对 我 很 好。My boyfriend treats me very well.
• 他 对 工作 很 认真。He treats his work very seriously.

Examples of right and wrong sentences

• 我们都对于这个问题很感兴趣。
• 我们都对这个问题很感兴趣。
• 他 对于 工作 很 认真。
• 他 对 工作 很 认真。

Example Dialog

• A: 对于 这 件 事，你 怎么 看？What do you think about this?
• B: 我 对 她 很 了解，她 不 会 这么 做 的。I understand her completely. She can't do it like this.

Sources and further reading

Books

• 对外汉语教学语法释疑201例 (对 vs 对于 p.204) →buy

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (对 p.343, 对于 p.344) →buy

HSK4