Difference between revisions of "Comparing "dui" and "duiyu""

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{{Grammar Box}}
 
{{Grammar Box}}
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对 (duì) and 对于 (duìyú) can be confusing because they overlap quite a bit in usage, but they are not entirely interchangeable.
  
(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!
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== 对 and 对于 Are Equivalent When Used as a Preposition ==
  
== Same as prep. ==
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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! 对于 sounds a bit more formal.
 
 
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 ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
对/对于 + 动作对象 + Verb
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对/对于 + Object + Verb
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
  
The example sentence pairs below mean the same thing.
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In the following example sentences, 对 and 对于 mean the same thing.
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
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* <em>对(于)</em> 这 种 事情,你 有 什么 看法?<span class="pinyin"><em>Duì</em> zhè zhǒng shìqíng, nǐ yǒu shénme kànfǎ?</span><span class="trans">As for this kind of thing, what's your perspective?</span>
* <em>对于</em> 这 种 事情,你 有 什么 看法?<span class="pinyin"><em>Duìyú</em> zhè zhǒng shìqíng, nǐ yǒu shénme kànfǎ?</span>
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* 我 <em>对(于)</em> 上海 从来 没 喜欢 过 也 没 讨厌 过。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>duì</em> Shànghǎi cónglái méi xǐhuān guò yě méi tǎoyàn guò.</span><span class="trans">I've never liked or disliked Shanghai.</span>
* <em>对</em> 这 种 事情,你 有 什么 看法?<span class="pinyin"><em>Duì</em> zhè zhǒng shìqíng, nǐ yǒu shénme kànfǎ?</span><span class="trans">As for this kind of thing, what's your perspective?</span>
 
 
 
* 我 <em>对于</em> 上海 从来 没 喜欢 过 也 没 讨厌 过。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>duìyú</em> Shànghǎi cónglái méi xǐhuān guò yě méi tǎoyàn guò.</span>
 
* 我 <em>对</em> 上海 从来 没 喜欢 过 也 没 讨厌 过。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>duì</em> Shànghǎi cónglái méi xǐhuān guò yě méi tǎoyàn guò.</span><span class="trans">I've never liked or disliked Shanghai.</span>
 
 
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== 对 can be placed in more parts of the sentence==
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== 对 Is More Versatile within a 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.  
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Both and 对于 can be placed before or after the subject in a sentence. Unlike 对, however, 对于 cannot be placed after the adverb in the middle of a sentence.  
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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</div>
 
</div>
  
All of the above examples mean "We are all interested in this problem."
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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" ===
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== 对 Can be Used as a Verb ==
  
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.
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=== As a Verb Meaning "to face" ===
  
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When 对 is used as a verb, it expresses "to face" or "to point at." It is often used in verb phrases like 对着, 对上, 对不上.
  
 
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</div>
 
</div>
  
== Examples of right and wrong sentences ==
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== Common Mistakes ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
 
<ul>
 
<ul>
<li class="x">我们都<em>对于</em>这个问题很感兴趣。</li>
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<li class="x">我们 都 <em>对于</em> 这个 问题 很 感兴趣。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>duìyú</em> zhège wèntí hěn gǎn xìngqù.</span></li>
<li class="o">我们都<em>对</em>这个问题很感兴趣。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>duì</em> zhège wèntí hěn gǎn xìngqù.</span></li>
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<li class="o">我们 都 <em>对</em> 这个 问题 很 感兴趣。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>duì</em> zhège wèntí hěn gǎn xìngqù.</span></li>
<li class="x">他 <em>对于</em> 工作 很 认真。</li>
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<li class="x">他 <em>对于</em> 工作 很 认真。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>duìyú</em> gōngzuò hěn rènzhēn.</span></li>
 
<li class="o">他 <em>对</em> 工作 很 认真。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>duì</em> gōngzuò hěn rènzhēn.</span></li>
 
<li class="o">他 <em>对</em> 工作 很 认真。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>duì</em> gōngzuò hěn rènzhēn.</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>

Revision as of 10:27, 5 December 2020

对 (duì) and 对于 (duìyú) can be confusing because they overlap quite a bit in usage, but they are not entirely interchangeable.

对 and 对于 Are Equivalent When Used as a Preposition

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! 对于 sounds a bit more formal.

Structure

对/对于 + Object + Verb

Examples

In the following example sentences, 对 and 对于 mean the same thing.

  • 对(于) 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?
  • 对(于) 上海 从来 没 喜欢 过 也 没 讨厌 过。duì Shànghǎi cónglái méi xǐhuān guò yě méi tǎoyàn guò.I've never liked or disliked Shanghai.

对 Is More Versatile within a Sentence

Both 对 and 对于 can be placed before or after the subject in a sentence. Unlike 对, however, 对于 cannot be placed after the adverb in the middle of a sentence.

Examples

  • 这 个 问题,我们 都 很 感兴趣。Duì zhège wèntí, wǒmen dōu hěn gǎn xìngqù.
  • 对于 这 个 问题,我们 都 很 感兴趣。Duìyú zhège wèntí, wǒmen dōu hěn gǎn xìngqù.
  • 我们 这 个 问题 都 很 感兴趣。Wǒmen duì zhège wèntí dōu hěn gǎn xìngqù.
  • 我们 对于 这 个 问题 都 很 感兴趣。Wǒmen duìyú zhège wèntí dōu hěn gǎn xìngqù.
  • 我们 这 个 问题 很 感兴趣。Wǒmen dōu duì zhège wèntí hěn gǎn xìngqù.
  • 我们 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 "to face"

When 对 is used as a verb, it expresses "to face" or "to point at." It is often used in verb phrases 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 我 很 好。Wǒ de nán péngyǒu duì wǒ hěn hǎo.My boyfriend treats me very well.
  • 工作 很 认真。duì gōngzuò hěn rènzhēn.He treats his work very seriously.

Common Mistakes

  • 我们 都 对于 这个 问题 很 感兴趣。Wǒmen dōu duìyú zhège wèntí hěn gǎn xìngqù.
  • 我们 都 这个 问题 很 感兴趣。Wǒmen dōu duì zhège wèntí hěn gǎn xìngqù.
  • 对于 工作 很 认真。duìyú gōngzuò hěn rènzhēn.
  • 工作 很 认真。duì gōngzuò hěn rènzhēn.

Example Dialog

  • 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 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

Dictionaries

HSK5