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

 
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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.
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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). This character is often translated into English as "for," but is sometimes unnatural or unnecessary, depending on the particular phrase.  For example, the super common Mao-era phrase, 为人民服务 (wèi rénmín fúwù), "serve the people," doesn't need the word "for" in English.
  
 
Don't confuse this preposition with [[Expressing purpose with "weile"|为了]], which is a bit different.
 
Don't confuse this preposition with [[Expressing purpose with "weile"|为了]], which is a bit different.
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*我们 都 <em>为</em> 你 <strong>高兴</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>wèi</em> nǐ <strong>gāoxìng</strong>.</span><span class="trans">We are all happy for you.</span>
 
*我们 都 <em>为</em> 你 <strong>高兴</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen dōu <em>wèi</em> nǐ <strong>gāoxìng</strong>.</span><span class="trans">We are all happy for you.</span>
*谁 <em>为</em> 我 <strong>考虑</strong> 过 ?<span class="pinyin">Shéi <em>wèi</em> wǒ <strong>kǎolǜ</strong> guo?</span><span class="trans">Is there anyone who's ever thought about me?</span>
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*谁 <em>为</em> 我 <strong>考虑</strong> 过 ?<span class="pinyin">Shéi <em>wèi</em> wǒ <strong>kǎolǜ</strong> guo?</span><span class="trans">Who has ever considered me?</span>
*你们 可以 来 <em>为</em> 我们 <strong>加油</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen kěyǐ lái <em>wèi</em> wǒmen <strong>jiāyóu</strong>.</span><span class="trans">You guys can come to cheer us up.</span>
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*你们 可以 来 <em>为</em> 我们 <strong>加油</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen kěyǐ lái <em>wèi</em> wǒmen <strong>jiāyóu</strong>.</span><span class="trans">You guys can come to cheer us on.</span>
 
*她 是 <em>为</em> 美国 政府 <strong>工作</strong> 的 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì <em>wèi</em> Měiguó zhèngfǔ <strong>gōngzuò</strong> de.</span><span class="trans">She works for the United States government.</span>
 
*她 是 <em>为</em> 美国 政府 <strong>工作</strong> 的 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì <em>wèi</em> Měiguó zhèngfǔ <strong>gōngzuò</strong> de.</span><span class="trans">She works for the United States government.</span>
*这个 生日 蛋糕 是 <em>为</em> 你 <strong>准备</strong> 的 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège shēngrì dàngāo shì <em>wèi</em> nǐ <strong>zhǔnbèi</strong> de.</span><span class="trans">This birthday cake is prepared for you.</span>
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*这个 生日 蛋糕 是 <em>为</em> 你 <strong>准备</strong> 的 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège shēngrì dàngāo shì <em>wèi</em> nǐ <strong>zhǔnbèi</strong> de.</span><span class="trans">This birthday cake has been prepared for you.</span>
*父母 都 要 <em>为</em> 家庭 <strong>付出</strong> 很 多 。<span class="pinyin">Fùmǔ dōu yào <em>wèi</em> jiātíng <strong>fùchū</strong> hěn duō.</span><span class="trans">Parents all need to do a lot for their family.</span>
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*父母 <em>为</em> 家庭 <strong>付出</strong> 很 多 。<span class="pinyin">Fùmǔ <em>wèi</em> jiātíng <strong>fùchū</strong> le hěn duō.</span><span class="trans">The parents have done so much for their family.</span>
*你 不 <em>为</em> 自己 的 孩子 <strong>担心</strong> 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù <em>wèi</em> zìjǐ de háizi <strong>dānxīn</strong> ma?</span><span class="trans">Aren't you worried about your child?</span>
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*你 不 <em>为</em> 自己 的 孩子 <strong>担心</strong> 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù <em>wèi</em> zìjǐ de háizi <strong>dānxīn</strong> ma?</span><span class="trans">Aren't you worried for your child?</span>
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*谢谢 你 <em>为</em> 我们 <strong>提供</strong> 这么 多 资源 。<span class="pinyin">Xièxie nǐ <em>wèi</em> wǒmen <strong>tígōng</strong> zhème duō zīyuán.</span><span class="trans">Thank you for providing us with so many resources.</span>
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*他 <em>为</em> 公司 的 发展 <strong>贡献</strong> 了 很多 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>wèi</em> gōngsī de fāzhǎn <strong>gòngxiàn</strong> le hěn duō.</span><span class="trans">He contributed a lot to the development of the company.</span>
 
*很多 人 都 在 <em>为</em> 那些 孩子 <strong>祈祷</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén dōu zài <em>wèi</em> nàxiē háizi <strong>qídǎo</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Lots of people are praying for those children.</span>
 
*很多 人 都 在 <em>为</em> 那些 孩子 <strong>祈祷</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Hěn duō rén dōu zài <em>wèi</em> nàxiē háizi <strong>qídǎo</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Lots of people are praying for those children.</span>
*谢谢 你 <em>为</em> 我们 <strong>提供</strong> 这么 多 资源 。<span class="pinyin">Xièxie nǐ <em>wèi</em> wǒmen tígōng zhème duō zīyuán.</span><span class="trans">Thank you for providing us with so many resources.</span>
 
*他 <em>为</em> 公司 的 发展 <strong>贡献</strong> 了 很多 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>wèi</em> gōngsī de fāzhǎn <strong>gòngxiàn</strong> le hěn duō.</span><span class="trans">He contributed a lot for the development of the company.</span>
 
  
 
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{{Source|Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)|76}}
 
{{Source|Practicing HSK Grammar (语法精讲精炼)|76}}
 
{{Source|Boya Chinese Lower Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语准中级加速篇)|203}}
 
{{Source|Boya Chinese Lower Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语准中级加速篇)|203}}
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 5上|38}}
  
 
=== Websites ===
 
=== Websites ===
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[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK5}}
 
[[Category:Prepositions]]
 
[[Category:Prepositions]]
 
{{Basic Grammar|为|B1|为 + Person + Predicate|<em>为</em> 人民 服务 !|grammar point|ASG68RBX}}
 
{{Basic Grammar|为|B1|为 + Person + Predicate|<em>为</em> 人民 服务 !|grammar point|ASG68RBX}}
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{{Similar|Expressing purpose with "weile"}}  
 
{{Similar|Expressing purpose with "weile"}}  
 
{{Similar|Expressing "for" with "gei"}}  
 
{{Similar|Expressing "for" with "gei"}}  
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{{Similar|Comparing "gei" and "wei"}}
 
{{POS|Prepositions}}
 
{{POS|Prepositions}}
 
{{Translation|for}}
 
{{Translation|for}}

Latest revision as of 03:08, 9 January 2020

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). This character is often translated into English as "for," but is sometimes unnatural or unnecessary, depending on the particular phrase. For example, the super common Mao-era phrase, 为人民服务 (wèi rénmín fúwù), "serve the people," doesn't need the word "for" in English.

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

Structure

为 + Party + Verb / Adj.

Examples

  • 我们 都 高兴Wǒmen dōu wèigāoxìng.We are all happy for you.
  • 考虑 过 ?Shéi wèikǎolǜ guo?Who has ever considered me?
  • 你们 可以 来 我们 加油Nǐmen kěyǐ lái wèi wǒmen jiāyóu.You guys can come to cheer us on.
  • 她 是 美国 政府 工作 的 。Tā shì wèi Měiguó zhèngfǔ gōngzuò de.She works for the United States government.
  • 这个 生日 蛋糕 是 准备 的 。Zhège shēngrì dàngāo shì wèizhǔnbèi de.This birthday cake has been prepared for you.
  • 父母 家庭 付出 了 很 多 。Fùmǔ wèi jiātíng fùchū le hěn duō.The parents have done so much for their family.
  • 你 不 自己 的 孩子 担心 吗 ?Nǐ bù wèi zìjǐ de háizi dānxīn ma?Aren't you worried for your child?
  • 谢谢 你 我们 提供 这么 多 资源 。Xièxie nǐ wèi wǒmen tígōng zhème duō zīyuán.Thank you for providing us with so many resources.
  • 公司 的 发展 贡献 了 很多 。wèi gōngsī de fāzhǎn gòngxiàn le hěn duō.He contributed a lot to the development of the company.
  • 很多 人 都 在 那些 孩子 祈祷Hěn duō rén dōu zài wèi nàxiē háizi qídǎo.Lots of people are praying for those children.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites