Difference between revisions of "Expressing purpose with "weile""

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为了 (wèile) is most often used to indicate the purpose of an action, or the person that will benefit from some act of kindness.  In the "purpose" sense, it corresponds pretty well to "in order to" or "for the purpose of" in English.
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为了 (wèile) is most often used to indicate the purpose of an action or the person that will benefit from some act of kindness.  In the "purpose" sense, it almost exactly corresponds to "in order to" or "for the purpose of" in English.
  
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== 为了 as a preposition ==
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== Basic Usage ==
  
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When 为了 indicates the purpose of an action, it's usually acting as a [[preposition]]s.  In this role, the ''whole'' "为了 phrase" should come '''before''' the verb.
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When 为了 indicates the purpose of an action, it's usually acting as a [[preposition]].  In this role, the ''whole'' "为了 phrase" should come '''before''' the verb.
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Note also that 为了 is a single word; the 了 here is not serving its role as a particle in this case.
 
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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为了+ [some purpose], Subject + Predicate
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为了 ⋯⋯ ，Subj. ⋯⋯
 
</div>
 
</div>
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Note also that 为了 is a single word; the 了 here is not serving its role as a particle in this case.
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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* <em>为了</em> 钱 ， 他 出卖 了 朋友 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> qián, tā chūmài le péngyou.</span><span class="expl">money is the purpose)</span> <span class="trans">He betrayed his friends for money.</span>
 
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* <em>为了</em> 给 他 太太 庆祝生日，他 办 了 一 个 盛大的 派对 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> gěi tā tàitài qìngzhù shēngrì, tā bàn le yī gè shèngdà de pàiduì.</span><span class="expl">the wife benefits)</span> <span class="trans">He threw a grand party to celebrate his wife's birthday.</span>
 
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* <em>为了</em> 有 一个 好 的 未来， 我 必须 好好 学习 。 <span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> yǒu yī gè hǎo de wèilái, wǒ bìxū hǎo hào xuéxí.</span><span class="expl">having a good future is the purpose)</span> <span class="trans">In order to have a good future, I have to study hard.</span>
 
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* <em>为了</em> 让 自己 有 更好 的 语言 环境， 我 打算 去 中国 留学 一年。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> ràng zìjǐ yǒu gèng hǎo de yǔyán huánjìng, wǒ dǎsuàn qù zhōngguó liúxué yī nián.</span><span class="expl">having a better language-learning environment is the purpose)</span> <span class="trans">In order to have a better language-learning environment, I plan to go to study in China for 1 year.</span>
 
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* <em>为了</em> 让 孩子 一 生下来 就 是 美国人，中国 很多  有钱人 都 在 美国 生孩子。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> ràng háizi yīshēng xiàlái jiùshì měiguórén, zhōngguó hěn duō yǒuqiánrén dōu zài měiguó shēng háizi.</span><span class="expl">for their kids to become an American citizen as soon as they're born is the purpose)</span> <span class="trans">In order to make their child an American citizen, a lot of  rich Chinese people stay in the United States during their pregnancy.</span></div>
 
  
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== 为了 after 是==
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*<em>为了</em> 钱 ，他 什么 都 愿意 做 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> qián, tā shénme dōu yuànyì zuò.</span><span class="trans">He's willing to do anything for money.</span>
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*<em>为了</em> 孩子 的 未来 ，他 决定 搬到 上海 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> háizi de wèilái, tā juédìng bāndào Shànghǎi.</span><span class="trans">He decided to move to Shanghai for his children's future.</span>
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*<em>为了</em> 这个 面试 ，他 买 了 一 套 很 贵 的 西服 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> zhège miànshì, tā mǎi le yī tào hěn guì de xīfú.</span><span class="trans">He bought a very expensive suit for this job interview.</span>
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*<em>为了</em> 找 灵感 ，那个 作家 搬到 了 农村 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> zhǎo línggǎn, nàge zuòjiā bān dào le nóngcūn.</span><span class="trans">In order to find inspiration, that writer moved to the countryside.</span>
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*五年 前 ，<em>为了</em> 女朋友 ，他 放弃 了 上海 的 工作。<span class="pinyin">wǔniánqián，<em>Wèile</em> nǚpéngyou, tā fàngqì le Shànghǎi de gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">Five years ago he passed up a job in Shanghai for his girlfriend.</span>
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*<em>为了</em> 奖励 大家 ，公司 明年 带 你们 去 日本 旅行 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèile</em> jiǎnglì dàjiā, gōngsī míngnián dài nǐmen qù Rìběn lǚxíng.</span><span class="trans">In order to reward everyone, the company will take you all on a trip to Japan next year.</span>
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</div>
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== Expressing "the Reason Why" ==
  
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Sometimes you will see 为了 coming after 是. In this case, it often goes with 之所以，which means the reason why··· in a more formal way."是想" would be a more casual expression compared with"是为了".
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Sometimes you will see 为了 following 是. In this case, 为了 mean "for." Note that 为了 and 因为 both have the character 为 in them, and they have sort of similar meanings. You will also see 因为 following 是, instead of 为了. It literally means "is because (of)."
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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Subject (+之所以+purpose)+ 是 +为了(想)+purpose/reason
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⋯⋯ 是 + 为了 / 因为 ⋯⋯
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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=== Example ===
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
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* 我（之所以）这么做 是 <em>为了/想</em> 给 你 一个 更好 的 未来。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ (zhīsuǒyǐ) zhème zuò shì <em>wèile / xiǎng</em> gěi nǐ yī gè gèng hǎo de weìlái.</span><span class="trans">The reason I did all this was to give you a better future.</span>
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*我 这么 做 <em> 是 为了</em> 帮 你 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zhème zuò <em>shì wèile</em> bāng nǐ.</span><span class="trans">I did all this to help you.</span>
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*他 做 兼职 <em>是 为了</em> 多 赚 点 钱 。<span class="pinyin">Tā zuò jiānzhí <em>shì wèile</em> duō zhuàn diǎn qián.</span><span class="trans">The reason why he has a part time job is to make a little more money.</span>
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*你 学 中文 <em>是 因为</em> 你 的 中国 女朋友 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xué Zhōngwén <em>shì yīnwèi</em> nǐde Zhōngguó nǚpéngyou ma?</span><span class="trans">Are you studying Chinese because of your Chinese girlfriend?</span>
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*我们 之 所以 反对 <em>是 因为</em>  风险 太 大 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zhī suǒyǐ fǎnduì <em>shì yīnwèi</em> fēngxiǎn tài dà.</span><span class="trans">The reason why we oppose it is because the risk is too high.</span>
  
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* 我（之所以）离开 中国 是 <em>为了</em> 去 美国 结婚 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ (zhīsuǒyǐ) líkāi zhōngguó shì <em>wèile</em> qù měiguó jiéhūn.</span><span class="trans">The reason I left China was to go to the United States and get married.</span>
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</div>
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*他俩 （之所以）一直 不要 孩子 是 <em>为了</em> 多 点 时间 享受 二人世界 。<span class="pinyin">Tā liǎ (zhīsuǒyǐ) yīzhí bùyào háizi shì <em>wèile</em> duō diǎn shíjiān xiǎngshòu èrrénshìjiè.</span><span class="trans">The reason they don't want to have kids is so they can spend more time with each other.</span>
 
  
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* 中国政府（之所以）要 开放 是 <em>为了</em> 更好地发展中国经济 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó zhèngfǔ (zhīsuǒyǐ) yào kāifàng shì <em>wèile</em> gèng hǎo de fāzhǎn zhōngguó jīngjì.</span><span class="trans">The reason the Chinese government started opening up was that they wanted to develop their national economy in a better way.</span>
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Note that [[Stating the effect before the cause|之所以]] is a more difficult pattern, which means "the reason why" in a more formal way.
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</div>
 
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
  
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* [["For" with "wei"]]
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* [[Expressing "for" with "wei"]]
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* [[Expressing purpose with "hao"]]
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* [[Using "lai" to connect two verb phrases]]
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* [[Stating the effect before the cause]]
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
  
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=== Podcasts ===
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=== Books ===
  
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* [http://chinesepod.com/lessons/%E4%B8%BA-and-%E4%B8%BA%E4%BA%86 Chinesepod Qingwen 为 and 为了]
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{{Source|Home With Kids1 (家有儿女1)|32}}
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)|40}}
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{{Source|卓越汉语－公司实战篇|12}}
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{{Source|现代汉语虚词例释|484, 572}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1|347-8}}
  
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=== Books ===
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=== Websites ===
  
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* [[Home With Kids1 (家有儿女1)]] (p.32) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%AE%B6%E6%9C%89%E5%84%BF%E5%A5%B31-%E5%88%98%E7%AB%8B%E6%96%B0/dp/B0020MLDO8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347862139&sr=8-1 →buy]
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* Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0236.html Uses of 为 and 为了]
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* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)]] (p. 40) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192 →buy]
 
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*[[卓越汉语－公司实战篇]] (p. 12) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD-%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87-%E8%83%A1%E7%81%B5%E5%9D%87/dp/B003QZWQ6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347863170&sr=8-1 →buy]
 
  
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===Websites===
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=== Podcasts ===
  
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* Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0236.html Uses of 为 and 为了]
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* [http://chinesepod.com/lessons/%E4%B8%BA-and-%E4%B8%BA%E4%BA%86 Chinesepod Qingwen 为 and 为了]
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
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{{Basic Grammar|为了|B1|为了 + Purpose + V|<em>为了</em> 你，我 愿意 做 。|grammar point|ASGQGJXT}}
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{{Basic Grammar|为了|B1|为了 + Purpose + Verb|<em>为了</em> 钱 ，他 什么 都 愿意 做 。|grammar point|ASGQGJXT}}
 
{{Rel char|为}}
 
{{Rel char|为}}
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{{Rel char|了}}
 
 
{{Used for|Expressing Purpose}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing Purpose}}
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{{Similar|"For" with "wei"}}  
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{{Similar|Expressing "for" with "wei"}}
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{{Similar|Stating the effect before the cause}}  
 
{{Similar|Expressing purpose with "haorang"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing purpose with "haorang"}}
 
{{Similar|"lai" used to connect two verb phrases}}
 
{{Similar|"lai" used to connect two verb phrases}}
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{{POS|Prepositions}}
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{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
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{{Subprop|Basic/Simple Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Translation|for}}
 
{{Translation|for}}
 
{{Translation|to}}
 
{{Translation|to}}

Latest revision as of 09:30, 17 December 2020

为了 (wèile) is most often used to indicate the purpose of an action or the person that will benefit from some act of kindness. In the "purpose" sense, it almost exactly corresponds to "in order to" or "for the purpose of" in English.

Basic Usage

When 为了 indicates the purpose of an action, it's usually acting as a preposition. In this role, the whole "为了 phrase" should come before the verb.

Structure

为了 ⋯⋯ ，Subj. ⋯⋯

Note also that 为了 is a single word; the 了 here is not serving its role as a particle in this case.

Examples

  • 为了 钱 ，他 什么 都 愿意 做 。Wèile qián, tā shénme dōu yuànyì zuò.He's willing to do anything for money.
  • 为了 孩子 的 未来 ，他 决定 搬到 上海 。Wèile háizi de wèilái, tā juédìng bāndào Shànghǎi.He decided to move to Shanghai for his children's future.
  • 为了 这个 面试 ，他 买 了 一 套 很 贵 的 西服 。Wèile zhège miànshì, tā mǎi le yī tào hěn guì de xīfú.He bought a very expensive suit for this job interview.
  • 为了 找 灵感 ，那个 作家 搬到 了 农村 。Wèile zhǎo línggǎn, nàge zuòjiā bān dào le nóngcūn.In order to find inspiration, that writer moved to the countryside.
  • 五年 前 ，为了 女朋友 ，他 放弃 了 上海 的 工作。wǔniánqián，Wèile nǚpéngyou, tā fàngqì le Shànghǎi de gōngzuò.Five years ago he passed up a job in Shanghai for his girlfriend.
  • 为了 奖励 大家 ，公司 明年 带 你们 去 日本 旅行 。Wèile jiǎnglì dàjiā, gōngsī míngnián dài nǐmen qù Rìběn lǚxíng.In order to reward everyone, the company will take you all on a trip to Japan next year.

Expressing "the Reason Why"

Sometimes you will see 为了 following 是. In this case, 为了 mean "for." Note that 为了 and 因为 both have the character 为 in them, and they have sort of similar meanings. You will also see 因为 following 是, instead of 为了. It literally means "is because (of)."

Structure

⋯⋯ 是 + 为了 / 因为 ⋯⋯

Examples

  • 我 这么 做 是 为了 帮 你 。Wǒ zhème zuò shì wèile bāng nǐ.I did all this to help you.
  • 他 做 兼职 是 为了 多 赚 点 钱 。Tā zuò jiānzhí shì wèile duō zhuàn diǎn qián.The reason why he has a part time job is to make a little more money.
  • 你 学 中文 是 因为 你 的 中国 女朋友 吗 ？Nǐ xué Zhōngwén shì yīnwèi nǐde Zhōngguó nǚpéngyou ma?Are you studying Chinese because of your Chinese girlfriend?
  • 我们 之 所以 反对 是 因为 风险 太 大 。Wǒmen zhī suǒyǐ fǎnduì shì yīnwèi fēngxiǎn tài dà.The reason why we oppose it is because the risk is too high.

Note that 之所以 is a more difficult pattern, which means "the reason why" in a more formal way.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites

Podcasts


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