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<h1>Using "dui" with verbs
</h1>

<p>When using 对 (duì) as a preposition, it is used to indicate "to" or "towards" an object or target. As with all prepositions, some care should be taken when using this particle, as usage of 对 doesn't always totally "make sense" or correspond to English at all.
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<h2>Contents</h2>

  
<div class="contents"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1 Basic Usage </span></li>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1.1 Structure </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">1.2 Examples </span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2 Colloquial Saying </span></li>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2.1 Structure </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">2.2 Examples </span></li>
</ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">3 Special Usage </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">4 See also </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">5 Sources and further reading </span></li>
<ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">5.1 Books</span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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<h2>Basic Usage</h2>

<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">Subj. + 对 + Person + Verb
</div>
<p>Note that you shouldn't be plugging in just any old verb here.</p>

<h3>Examples</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">宝宝 对 我 笑 了 。
Bǎobao duì wǒ xiào le.
The baby smiled at me. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">小狗 在 对 你 叫 。
Xiǎogǒu zài duì nǐ jiào.
The dog is barking at you. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">你 不 应该 这样 对 父母 说话 。
Nǐ bù yīnggāi zhèyang duì fùmǔ shuōhuà.
You shouldn't talk to your parents this way. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">他 总是 对 老师 撒谎 。
Tā zǒngshì duì lǎoshī sāhuǎng.
He always lies to his teachers. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">不要 对 孩子 发脾气 。
Bùyào duì háizi fā píqi.
Don't lose your temper at the child.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
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<h3>Colloquial Saying</h3>

<p>In English we say "to someone or for someone." In Chinese, the pattern is:
</p>
<h3>Structure</h3>

<div class="deux">对 + Party + 来说 ,⋯⋯</div>

<p>The predicate part of the pattern can be a verb or an adjective.</p>

<p>Note that subject can be also placed before 对.</p>

<h3>Examples</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">学好 中文 对 外国人 来说 不 容易 。
Xuéhǎo Zhōngwén duì wàiguórén lái shuō bù róngyì.
For foreigners, it is not easy to learn Chinese well. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">对 孩子 来说 ,这个 问题 太 复杂 了 。
Duì háizi lái shuō, zhège wèntí tài fùzá le.
This question is too complicated for kids. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">对 你 来说 ,家庭 重要 还是 工作 重要 ?
Duì nǐ lái shuō, jiātíng zhòngyào háishì gōngzuò zhòngyào?
Is family or work more important to you?</span><br/></li>
</ul>
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<h2>Special Usage</h2>

<p>Certain verbs, especially psychological verbs, are often used with 对, which means 对 is needed if you want to add an Obj. in the structure, such as 对...感兴趣 ("to be interested in..."). In this case, 对 means "in, on, about," etc. The short list below will give a few more verbs used with 对. Check it out!</p>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">对⋯⋯感兴趣 (gǎn xìngqù) to feel interested in </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">对⋯⋯负责 (fùzé) to be responsible for </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">对⋯⋯满意 (mǎnyì) to feel satisfied about </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">对⋯⋯好奇 (hàoqí) to feel curious about </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">对⋯⋯失望 (shīwàng) to feel disappointed about</span><br/></li>
</ul>
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<h3>Some examples:</h3>

<div class="exemple"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 儿子 对 学 外语 很 感 兴趣 。
Wǒ érzi duì xué wàiyǔ hěn gǎn xìngqù.
My son is very interested in learning foreign language. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">你 应该 对 自己 的 工作 负责 。
Nǐ yīnggāi duì zìjǐ de gōngzuò fùzé .
You should be responsible for your job. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">老板 对 你 不 太 满意 。
Lǎobǎn duì nǐ bù tài mǎnyì.
The boss has not been very satisfied with you. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">观众 对 比赛 结果 非常 失望 。
Guānzhòng duì bǐsài jiéguǒ fēicháng shīwàng.
Everyone is very disappointed with the result of the game. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">我 的 小 女儿 对 所有 动物 都 很 好奇 。
Wǒ de xiǎo nǚ'ér duì suǒyǒu dòngwù dōu hěn hàoqí.
My younger daughter is curious about all the animals.</span><br/></li>
</ul>
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<h3>See also</h3>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Using "xiang" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Using "gen"
"For…" with "eryan" </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Comparing "gen" and "dui"</span><br/></li>
</ul>
</div>

<h3>Sources and further reading</h3>

<h4>Books</h4>

<div class="See-also"><ul><li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 153) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 151) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Modern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide (pp. 84, 88) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Boya Chinese Elementary Starter 1 (博雅汉语初经起步篇) (pp. 198) →buy </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">Chinese Grammar - Broken down into 100 items - Basic and Intermediate Levels (汉语语法百项讲练 - 初中级) (pp. 313) [ →buy] </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 20px;">卓越汉语-公司实战篇 (pp. 11-2, 134) [ →buy]</span><br/></li>
</ul>
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