Comparing "dui" and "duiyu"
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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!
Contents
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？
- 对 这 种 事情，你 有 什么 看法？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。
- 我 对 上海 从来 没 喜欢 过 也 没 讨厌 过。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。
- 对于 这 个 问题，我们 都 很 感兴趣。
- 我们 对 这 个 问题 都 很 感兴趣。
- 我们 对于 这 个 问题 都 很 感兴趣。
- 我们 都 对 这 个 问题 很 感兴趣。
- 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。Don't point the gun at people.
- 我 喜欢 对着 镜子 笑。I like to laugh at the mirror.
- 这 两 本 账 对不上。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。My boyfriend treats me very well.
- 他 对 工作 很 认真。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。
- 他 对于 工作 很 认真。
- 他 对 工作 很 认真。
Example Dialog
- A: 对于 这 件 事，你 怎么 看？What do you think about this?
- B: 我 对 她 很 了解，她 不 会 这么 做 的。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]
Dictionaries
- 现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 343, 344) 卓越汉语－公司实战篇 →buy
