Comparing "gei" and "wei"

Both 给 and 为 can mean "for." They seem to be somewhat arbitrarily assigned to different verbs, and to make matters worse, 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!

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.

Structure

Subj. + 给 + Recipient + [Verb Phrase]

Examples

• 上海 给 我 留下 了 很 深 的 印象。 Shànghǎi gěi wǒ liúxià le hěn shēn de yìnxiàng.
• 下 飞机 以后，我 给 你 打 电话。 Xià fēijī yǐhòu, wǒ gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.
• 这 件 事 是 你 做的 不对， 给 他 道歉。 Zhè jiàn shì shì nǐ zuò de bù duì, gěi tā dàoqiàn.
• 你 看到 别 忘 了 给 我 回 邮件。 Nǐ kàn dào bié wàng le gěi wǒ huí yóujiàn.
• 请 给 我 拿 一双 筷子。 Qǐng gěi wǒ ná yī shuāng kuàizi.
• 老板 给 我 提 了 很多 建议。 Lǎobǎn gěi wǒ tí le hěn duō jiànyì.
• 同事 给 我 介绍 了 公司 的 情况。 Tóngshì gěi wǒ jièshào le gōngsī de qíngkuàng.

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.

Structure

为 + Party + Verb / Adj.

Examples

• 我 真的 为 你 高兴 。 Wǒ zhēnde wèi nǐ gāoxìng.
• 父母 管 孩子 总是 说 是 为 孩子 好。 Fùmǔ guǎn háizi zǒngshì shuō shì wèi háizi hǎo.
• 我 现在 为 谷歌 公司 工作。 Wǒ xiànzài wèi Gǔgē gōngsī gōngzuò.
• 父母 为孩子 付出 了 很多。 Fùmǔ wèi háizi fùchū le hěn duō.
• 我们 都是 成年人 了，应该 为 自己 的 行为 负责。 Wǒmen dōu shì chéngniánrén le, yīnggāi wèi zìjǐ de xíngwéi fùzé.
• 你 为 国家 做 过 贡献吗？ Nǐ wèi guójiā zuò guò gòngxiàn ma?
• 政府 为 公司 提供 了 保障。 Zhèngfǔ wèi gōngsī tígōng le bǎozhàng.

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

• Expressing "for" with "gei"
• Expressing "for" with "wei"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 1700对 (pp. 486) [ →buy]

HSK5