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!

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?
  • 这 种 事情,你 有 什么 看法?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。
  • 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

  • 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 这 个 问题 都 很 感兴趣。
  • 我们 对于 这 个 问题 都 很 感兴趣。
  • 我们 这 个 问题 很 感兴趣。
  • 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 "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 我 很 好。My boyfriend treats me very well.
  • 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。
  • 我们都这个问题很感兴趣。
  • 对于 工作 很 认真。
  • 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 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

Dictionaries

HSK4