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

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*这个 生日 蛋糕 是 <em>为</em> 你 做 的 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège shēngrì dàngāo shì <em>wèi</em> nǐ zuò de.</span><span class="trans">This birthday cake is made for you.</span>
 
*这个 生日 蛋糕 是 <em>为</em> 你 做 的 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège shēngrì dàngāo shì <em>wèi</em> nǐ zuò de.</span><span class="trans">This birthday cake is made for you.</span>
 
*父母 常常 要 <em>为</em> 家庭 付出 很 多 。<span class="pinyin">Fùmǔ chángcháng yào <em>wèi</em> jiātíng fùchū hěn duō.</span><span class="trans">Parents usually need to do a lot for their family.</span>
 
*父母 常常 要 <em>为</em> 家庭 付出 很 多 。<span class="pinyin">Fùmǔ chángcháng yào <em>wèi</em> jiātíng fùchū hěn duō.</span><span class="trans">Parents usually need to do a lot for their family.</span>
*那些 家长 都 在 <em>为</em> 自己 的 孩子 担心 <span class="pinyin">Nàxiē jiāzhǎng dōu zài <em>wèi</em> zìjǐ de háizi dānxīn.</span><span class="trans">Those parents are all worried about their own child.</span>
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*你 不 <em>为</em> 自己 的 孩子 担心 吗 ?<span class="pinyin">Nǐ bù <em>wèi</em> zìjǐ de háizi dānxīn ma?</span><span class="trans">Aren't you worried about your child?</span>
 
*她 是 <em>为</em> 美国 政府 工作 的 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì <em>wèi</em> Měiguó zhèngfǔ gōngzuò de.</span><span class="trans">She works for the United States government.</span>
 
*她 是 <em>为</em> 美国 政府 工作 的 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shì <em>wèi</em> Měiguó zhèngfǔ gōngzuò de.</span><span class="trans">She works for the United States government.</span>
 
*谢谢 你 <em>为</em> 我们 提供 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>
 
*谢谢 你 <em>为</em> 我们 提供 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>
*在 华尔街 多 人 只 <em>为</em> 钱 工作 。<span class="pinyin">Zài huá'ěrjiē, hěn duō rén zhǐ <em>wèi</em> qián gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">Lots of people from Wall Street only works for money.</span>
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*在 华尔街 ,很 多 人 只 <em>为</em> 钱 工作 。<span class="pinyin">Zài huá'ěrjiē, hěn duō rén zhǐ <em>wèi</em> qián gōngzuò.</span><span class="trans">Lots of people from Wall Street only works for money.</span>
 
*他 <em>为</em> 公司 的 发展 做 了 很 多 贡献 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>wèi</em> gōngsī de fāzhǎn zuò le hěn duō gòngxiàn.</span><span class="trans">He contributed a lot for the development of the company.</span>
 
*他 <em>为</em> 公司 的 发展 做 了 很 多 贡献 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>wèi</em> gōngsī de fāzhǎn zuò le hěn duō gòngxiàn.</span><span class="trans">He contributed a lot for the development of the company.</span>
  

Revision as of 03:37, 20 December 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 + Person + Predicate

The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.

Examples

  • 我们 都 你 高兴 。Wǒmen dōu wèi nǐ gāoxìng.We are all happy for you.
  • 我 考虑 过 ?Shéi wèi wǒ kǎolǜ guo?Is there anyone who's ever thought about me?
  • 你们 可以 来 我们 加油 。Nǐmen kěyǐ lái wèi wǒmen jiāyóu.You guys can come to cheer us up.
  • 这个 生日 蛋糕 是 你 做 的 。Zhège shēngrì dàngāo shì wèi nǐ zuò de.This birthday cake is made for you.
  • 父母 常常 要 家庭 付出 很 多 。Fùmǔ chángcháng yào wèi jiātíng fùchū hěn duō.Parents usually need to do a lot 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 about your child?
  • 她 是 美国 政府 工作 的 。Tā shì wèi Měiguó zhèngfǔ gōngzuò de.She works for the United States government.
  • 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.
  • 在 华尔街 ,很 多 人 只 钱 工作 。Zài huá'ěrjiē, hěn duō rén zhǐ wèi qián gōngzuò.Lots of people from Wall Street only works for money.
  • 公司 的 发展 做 了 很 多 贡献 。wèi gōngsī de fāzhǎn zuò le hěn duō gòngxiàn.He contributed a lot for the development of the company.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites