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

• 请 给 我 拿 一双 筷子。 Qǐng gěi wǒ ná yī shuāng kuàizi.Please hand me a pair of pants.
• 下 飞机 以后，我 给 你 打 电话。 Xià fēijī yǐhòu, wǒ gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà.After the plane lands, I'll give you a call.
• 你 看到 别 忘 了 给 我 回 邮件。 Nǐ kàn dào bié wàng le gěi wǒ huí yóujiàn.See that you don't forget to reply to my email.
• 同事 给 我 介绍 了 公司 的 情况。 Tóngshì gěi wǒ jièshào le gōngsī de qíngkuàng.My co worker explained the company's situation.
• 这 件 事 是 你 做 得 不对， 给 他 道歉。 Zhè jiàn shì shì nǐ zuò de bù duì, gěi tā dàoqiàn.You didn't do this correctly, give him an apology.
• 老板 给 我 提 了 很多 建议。 Lǎobǎn gěi wǒ tí le hěn duō jiànyì.The boss gave me a lot of suggestions.
• 上海 给 我 留下 了 很 深 的 印象。 Shànghǎi gěi wǒ liúxià le hěn shēn de yìnxiàng.Shanghai left a deep impression on me.

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 现在 为 谷歌 公司 工作。 Wǒ xiànzài wèi Gǔgē gōngsī gōngzuò.I currently work for Google.
• 你 为 国家 做 过 贡献吗？ Nǐ wèi guójiā zuò guò gòngxiàn ma?Have you declared devotion to the country?
• 我 真的 为 你 高兴 。 Wǒ zhēnde wèi nǐ gāoxìng.I'm truly happy for you.
• 父母 为 孩子 付出 了 很 多。 Fùmǔ wèi háizi fùchū le hěn duō.Parents invest a lot in their children.
• 父母 管 孩子 总是 说 是 为 孩子 好。 Fùmǔ guǎn háizi zǒngshì shuō shì wèi háizi hǎo.Parents are always managing their children's well-being.
• 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.We've all come of age and ought to be responsible for ourselves.
• 政府 为 公司 提供 了 保障。 Zhèngfǔ wèi gōngsī tígōng le bǎozhàng.The government gives companies protection.

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