Difference between revisions of "Explaining purpose with "wei... er...""

Latest revision as of 07:10, 11 December 2020

Level

C1 / HSK4
Level

C1
Level

HSK4
Similar to
Similar to
Used for

Expressing purpose
Keywords

为, 而

为⋯⋯，而⋯⋯(wèi...ér...) is a structure used to clearly express the purpose of an action.

Structure

Subj. + 为 + Goal + 而 + Efforts Made

Sometimes, 为 can be replaced with 为了, which is less formal.

To make the pattern negative, simply add 不 before 为:

Subj. + 不 + 为 + Goal + 而 + Efforts Made

Examples

很多中国父母为孩子而活。Hěnduō Zhōngguó fùmǔ wèi háizi ér huó.Many Chinese parents live for their children.
我们为梦想而奋斗。Wǒmen wèi mèngxiǎng ér fèndòu.We fight for our dreams.
为我们的健康而多做锻炼。Wèi wǒmen de jiànkāng ér duō zuò duànliàn.We exercise more for the sake of our health.
你是为钱而工作吗？Nǐ shì wèi qián ér gōngzuò ma?Do you work for money?
我是为朋友而做的这件事情。Wǒ shì wèi péngyou ér zuò de zhè jiàn shìqing.I'm doing this for a friend.
他为了能去日本而苦学日语。Tā wèile néng qù Rìběn ér kǔxué Rìyǔ.He studied Japanese hard in order to be able to go to Japan.
李甜为了男朋友而学的医生。Lǐ Tián wèile nánpéngyou ér xué de yīshēng.Li Tian studied to be a doctor for her boyfriend.
这不仅仅是为娱乐而修建的公园。Zhè bùjǐn jǐn shì wèi yúlè ér xiūjiàn de gōngyuán.This parks was not built solely for entertainment.
你不为父母而考虑，也要考虑考虑你自己。Nǐ bù wéi fùmǔ ér kǎolǜ, yě yào kǎolǜ kǎolǜ nǐ zìjǐ.You don't consider your parents, but consider yourself.
不为明天而努力，那你为了什么而努力？Bù wéi míngtiān ér nǔlì, nà nǐ wèile shénme ér nǔlì?If you aren't working hard for tomorrow then what are you working so hard for?

Sources and further reading

HSK Standard Course 4下 (pp. 94) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
卓越汉语－公司实战篇 (pp. 135) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy

Websites

Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Usage of 而

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 <div class="liju">
-*很多中国父母<em>为</em>孩子<em>而</em>活。
+*很多中国父母<em>为</em>孩子<em>而</em>活。<span class="pinyin">Hěnduō Zhōngguó fùmǔ <em>wèi</em> háizi <em>ér</em> huó.</span><span class="trans">Many Chinese parents live for their children.</span>
-*我们<em>为</em>梦想<em>而</em>奋斗。
+*我们<em>为</em>梦想<em>而</em>奋斗。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em>wèi</em> mèngxiǎng <em>ér</em> fèndòu.</span><span class="trans">We fight for our dreams.</span>
-*<em>为</em>我们的健康<em>而</em>多做锻炼。
+*<em>为</em>我们的健康<em>而</em>多做锻炼。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèi</em> wǒmen de jiànkāng <em>ér</em> duō zuò duànliàn.</span><span class="trans">We exercise more for the sake of our health.</span>
-*你是<em>为</em>钱<em>而</em>工作吗？
+*你是<em>为</em>钱<em>而</em>工作吗？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shì <em>wèi</em> qián <em>ér</em> gōngzuò ma?</span><span class="trans">Do you work for money?</span>
-*我是<em>为</em>朋友<em>而</em>做的这件事情。
+*我是<em>为</em>朋友<em>而</em>做的这件事情。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ shì <em>wèi</em> péngyou <em>ér</em> zuò de zhè jiàn shìqing.</span><span class="trans">I'm doing this for a friend.</span>
-*他<em>为了</em>能去日本<em>而</em>苦学日语。
+*他<em>为了</em>能去日本<em>而</em>苦学日语。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>wèile</em> néng qù Rìběn <em>ér</em> kǔxué Rìyǔ.</span><span class="trans">He studied Japanese hard in order to be able to go to Japan.</span>
-*李甜<em>为了</em>男朋友<em>而</em>学的医生。
+*李甜<em>为了</em>男朋友<em>而</em>学的医生。<span class="pinyin">Lǐ Tián <em>wèile</em> nánpéngyou <em>ér</em> xué de yīshēng.</span><span class="trans">Li Tian studied to be a doctor for her boyfriend.</span>
-*这不仅仅<em>是</em>为娱乐<em>而</em>修建的公园。
+*这不仅仅<em>是</em>为娱乐<em>而</em>修建的公园。<span class="pinyin">Zhè bùjǐn jǐn <em>shì</em> wèi yúlè <em>ér</em> xiūjiàn de gōngyuán.</span><span class="trans">This parks was not built solely for entertainment.</span>
-*你<em>不为</em>父母<em>而</em>考虑，也要考虑考虑你自己。
+*你<em>不为</em>父母<em>而</em>考虑，也要考虑考虑你自己。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bù wéi</em> fùmǔ <em>ér</em> kǎolǜ, yě yào kǎolǜ kǎolǜ nǐ zìjǐ.</span><span class="trans">You don't consider your parents, but consider yourself.</span>
-*<em>不为</em>明天<em>而</em>努力，那你为了什么而努力？
+*<em>不为</em>明天<em>而</em>努力，那你为了什么而努力？<span class="pinyin"><em>Bù wéi</em> míngtiān <em>ér</em> nǔlì, nà nǐ wèile shénme ér nǔlì?</span><span class="trans">If you aren't working hard for tomorrow then what are you working so hard for?</span>
 </div>