Difference between revisions of "Expressing "for" with "wei""

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* 他 <em>为</em> 我 做 了 很 多 事 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>wèi</em> wǒ zuò le hěn duō shì. </span> <span class="trans">He's done a lot for me. </span>
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* 他 <em>为</em> 我 做 了 很 多 事 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>wèi</em> wǒ zuò le hěn duō shì. </span><span class="trans">He's done a lot for me. </span>
* 我们 都 <em>为</em> 你 高兴 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>wèi</em> nǐ gāoxìng. </span> <span class="trans">We are all happy for you.</span>
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* 我们 都 <em>为</em> 你 高兴 。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>wèi</em> nǐ gāoxìng. </span><span class="trans">We are all happy for you.</span>
* 你们 可以 来 <em>为</em> 我们 加油 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen kěyǐ lái <em>wèi</em> wǒmen jiāyóu.</span> <span class="trans">You can come to cheer us up.</span>
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* 你们 可以 来 <em>为</em> 我们 加油 。 <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen kěyǐ lái <em>wèi</em> wǒmen jiāyóu.</span><span class="trans">You can come to cheer us up.</span>
 
* 她 <em>为</em> 美国 政府 工作。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>wèi</em> Měiguó zhèngfǔ gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">She works for the United States government.</span>
 
* 她 <em>为</em> 美国 政府 工作。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>wèi</em> Měiguó zhèngfǔ gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">She works for the United States government.</span>
 
* <em>为</em> 人民 服务。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèi</em> rénmín fúwù. </span><span class="trans">Serve the people. </span>
 
* <em>为</em> 人民 服务。<span class="pinyin"><em>Wèi</em> rénmín fúwù. </span><span class="trans">Serve the people. </span>

Revision as of 03:58, 24 May 2017

When you work for a company, or do other sorts of physical (and even mental) activities for another party, you're likely to use the Chinese preposition 为 (wèi), which is often translated into English as "for," a translation which is often unnatural or unnecessary, depending on the particular phrase. The super common Mao-era phrase, 为人民服务 ("serve the people"), doesn't need the word "for" in English, for example.

Don't confuse this preposition with 为了, which is a bit different.

Structure

为 + [Some Part] + Verb

Examples

  • 我 做 了 很 多 事 。 wèi wǒ zuò le hěn duō shì. He's done a lot for me.
  • 我们 都 你 高兴 。 Wǒmen dōu wèi nǐ gāoxìng. We are all happy for you.
  • 你们 可以 来 我们 加油 。 Nǐmen kěyǐ lái wèi wǒmen jiāyóu.You can come to cheer us up.
  • 美国 政府 工作。wèi Měiguó zhèngfǔ gōngzuò.She works for the United States government.
  • 人民 服务。Wèi rénmín fúwù. Serve the people.
  • 公司 她 提供 了 很 多 资源。Gōngsī wèi tā tígōng le hěn duō zīyuán.The company provided her with many resources.

See Also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites