Difference between revisions of "Comparing "gei" and "wei""
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As you know, 给 is also a verb meaning "to give." As such, 给 is often used with verbs to express an action done out of kindness or friendship. Think of all the things a mother does for a child, or a generous friend does for her bestie. These would use 给. | As you know, 给 is also a verb meaning "to give." As such, 给 is often used with verbs to express an action done out of kindness or friendship. Think of all the things a mother does for a child, or a generous friend does for her bestie. These would use 给. | ||
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| + | == Examples == | ||
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| + | *<em>给</em> 客人 <strong>倒茶</strong> 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Gěi</em> kèrén <strong>dàochá</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Pour tea for the guests.</span> | ||
| + | *妈妈 在 <em>给</em> 孩子 们 <strong>做饭</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Māma zài <em>gěi</em> háizi men <strong>zuòfàn</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Mom cooks for the kids.</span> | ||
| + | *我 儿子 喜欢 <em>给</em> 小狗 <strong>洗澡</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ érzi xǐhuan <em>gěi</em> xiǎogǒu <strong>xǐzǎo</strong>.</span><span class="trans">My son likes giving our dog a bath.</span> | ||
| + | *请 <em>给</em> 我 <strong>拿</strong> 一 双 筷子 。<span class="pinyin">Qǐng <em>gěi</em> wǒ <strong>ná</strong> yī shuāng kuàizi.</span><span class="trans">Please get a pair of chopsticks for me.</span> | ||
== Structure == | == Structure == | ||
Revision as of 08:29, 13 January 2020
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Both 给 and 为 can mean "for." They seem to be somewhat arbitrarily assigned to different verbs, and to make matters worth, some verbs (but not all!) can use either one. There are a few principles you can use to keep them straight, but also a few exceptions you need to memorize. As always, lots of examples help!
Contents
The Core Meaning of 给
As you know, 给 is also a verb meaning "to give." As such, 给 is often used with verbs to express an action done out of kindness or friendship. Think of all the things a mother does for a child, or a generous friend does for her bestie. These would use 给.
Examples
- 给 客人 倒茶 。Pour tea for the guests.
- 妈妈 在 给 孩子 们 做饭 。Mom cooks for the kids.
- 我 儿子 喜欢 给 小狗 洗澡 。My son likes giving our dog a bath.
- 请 给 我 拿 一 双 筷子 。Please get a pair of chopsticks for me.
Structure
Subj. + 给 + Recipient + [Verb Phrase]
The Core Meaning of 为
The word 为 automatically feels more formal than 给, due to its association with classical Chinese. Besides being more formal, it is also often associated with obligatory actions or responsibilities. The typical example of this is "to work for Company A": 为A公司工作.
One other common usage of 为 is for uncontrollable emotional reactions that result from relationships with other people. These reactions aren't really done out of kindness; they're spontaneous and not a result of a conscious choice.
Comparison of 给 and 为 by Collocation
What could be more helpful than a big long list of examples? We've done our best to include the most common words that pair (collocate) with 给 and 为, but this list is, of course, not exhaustive.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- 1700对 (pp. 486) [ →buy]
