Comparing "dui" and "duiyu"

对 (duì) and 对于 (duìyú) 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

The example sentence pairs below mean the same thing.

• 对于 这 种 事情，你 有 什么 看法？Duìyú zhè zhǒng shìqíng, nǐ yǒu shénme kànfǎ?
• 对 这 种 事情，你 有 什么 看法？Duì zhè zhǒng shìqíng, nǐ yǒu shénme kànfǎ?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。Wǒ duìyú Shànghǎi cónglái méi xǐhuān guò yě méi tǎoyàn guò.
• 我 对 上海 从来 没 喜欢 过 也 没 讨厌 过。Wǒ duì Shànghǎi cónglái méi xǐhuān guò yě méi tǎoyàn guò.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。Duì zhè gè wèntí, wǒmen dōu hěn gǎn xìngqù.
• 对于 这 个 问题，我们 都 很 感兴趣。Duìyú zhè gè wèntí, wǒmen dōu hěn gǎn xìngqù.

• 我们 对 这 个 问题 都 很 感兴趣。Wǒmen duì zhè gè wèntí dōu hěn gǎn xìngqù.
• 我们 对于 这 个 问题 都 很 感兴趣。Wǒmen duìyú zhè gè wèntí dōu hěn gǎn xìngqù.

• 我们 都 对 这 个 问题 很 感兴趣。Wǒmen dōu duì zhè gè wèntí hěn gǎn xìngqù.
• 我们 都 对于 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.

Subj. + 对着／对上／对不上

Examples

• 枪口 不 要 对着 人。Qiāng kǒu bùyào duìzhe rén.Don't point the gun at people.
• 我 喜欢 对着 镜子 笑。Wǒ xǐhuān duìzhe jìngzi xiào.I like to laugh at the mirror.
• 这 两 本 账 对不上。Zhè liǎng běn zhàng duì bù shàng.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 + Adj.

Examples

• 我 的 男 朋友 对 我 很 好。Wǒ de nán péngyǒu duì wǒ hěn hǎo.My boyfriend treats me very well.
• 他 对 工作 很 认真。Tā duì gōngzuò hěn rènzhēn.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。Wǒmen dōu duì zhège wèntí hěn gǎn xìngqù.
• 他 对于 工作 很 认真。
• 他 对 工作 很 认真。Tā duì gōngzuò hěn rènzhēn.

Example Dialogue

• A: 对于 这 件 事，你 怎么 看？A: Duìyú zhè jiàn shì, nǐ zěnme kàn?What do you think about this?
• B: 我 对 她 很 了解，她 不 会 这么 做 的。B: Wǒ duì tā hěn liǎojiě, tā bù huì zhème zuò de.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 (pp. 81) [ →buy]
• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 463) [ →buy]
• 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (pp. 134) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 343, 344) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy

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