<!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta name="generator" content= "HTML Tidy for HTML5 for Linux version 5.2.0" /> <title></title> </head> <body> <p>The preposition 给 (gěi) can mean "for," as in, "everything I do, I do it <em>for</em> you." You can also think of it to mean "give," like to give a service or to give an Obj.. In this case, the default position of the character is before the verb, although it sometimes comes after, depending on the verb.</p> <h2 id="structure">Structure</h2> <p>The meaning of 给 is very similar to <a href="%E4%B8%BA" class= "uri" title="wikilink">为</a> (wèi) in Chinese, but 给 is more informal than 为, and there are many cases where it's simply based on convention and general practice to decide to use one or the other.</p> <div class="jiegou"> <p>Subj. + 给 + Recipient + Verb + Obj.</p> </div> <p>Note that the "recipient" in the pattern above is usually a person, but isn't necessarily a person. It could be an animal, or company, or any number of other types of recipients.</p> <h2 id="examples">Examples</h2> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li>妈妈 在 <em>给</em> 孩子 们 做饭 。 <span class="pinyin">Māma zài <em>gěi</em> háizi men zuòfàn.</span><span class="trans">Mom is cooking for the kids.</span></li> <li>你 父母 会 不 会 <em>给</em> 你 买 房子 ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ fùmǔ huì bu huì <em>gěi</em> nǐ mǎi fángzi?</span> <span class="trans">Will your parents buy a home for you?</span></li> <li><em>给</em> 我 泡 一 杯 茶 好 吗 ？ <span class="pinyin"><em>Gěi</em> wǒ pào yī bēi chá hǎo ma?</span><span class="trans">Could you make a cup of tea for me?</span></li> <li>老公 <em>给</em> 我 买 了 一 个 大 蛋糕。 <span class="pinyin">Lǎogōng <em>gěi</em> wǒ mǎi le yī gè dà dàngāo.</span><span class= "trans">My husband bought a big cake for me.</span></li> <li>请 <em>给</em> 我 拿 一 双 筷子。 <span class="pinyin">Qǐng <em>gěi</em> wǒ ná yī shuāng kuàizi.</span><span class="trans">Please give me a pair of chopsticks.</span></li> <li>我 <em>给</em> 你 带 了 巧克力。 <span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gěi</em> nǐ dài le qiǎokèlì.</span><span class="trans">I brought some chocolate for you.</span></li> <li>如果 你 来 中国 玩 ，我 <em>给</em> 你 当 导游 。 <span class="pinyin">Rúguǒ nǐ lái Zhōngguó wán, wǒ <em>gěi</em> nǐ dāng dǎoyóu.</span><span class="trans">If you come to visit China, I'll serve as tour guide for you.</span></li> <li>我 没 带 钥匙 ，你 能 <em>给</em> 我 开 一下 门 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Wǒ méi dài yàoshi, nǐ néng <em>gěi</em> wǒ kāi yīxià mén ma?</span><span class="trans">I don't have the key. Could you please open the door for me?</span></li> <li>小时候，妈妈 经常 <em>给</em> 我 讲 故事。<span class="expl">In some cases, translating with "for" in English doesn't work well.</span><span class="pinyin">Xiǎoshíhou, māma jīngcháng <em>gěi</em> wǒ jiǎng gùshi.</span><span class="trans">When I was little, mom often told me stories.</span></li> <li>医生 在 <em>给</em> 病人 看 病。 <span class="expl">In some cases, translating with "for" in English doesn't work well.</span><span class="pinyin">Yīshēng zài <em>gěi</em> bìngrén kànbìng.</span><span class="trans">The doctor is seeing the patient.</span></li> </ul> </div> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li><a href=""For"_with_"wei"" title= "wikilink">"For" with "wei"</a></li> <li><a href="Verbs_with_"gei"" title="wikilink">Verbs with "gei"</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href= "%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%99%9A%E8%AF%8D%E4%BE%8B%E9%87%8A" class="uri" title="wikilink">现代汉语虚词例释</a> (p. 196)<a href= "http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B004323J90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693275&sr=8-1">→buy</a></li> </ul> <h3 id="dictionaries">Dictionaries</h3> <ul> <li><a href= "%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8%EF%BC%88%E7%AC%AC5%E7%89%88%EF%BC%89" class="uri" title="wikilink">现代汉语词典（第5版）</a> (p. 464) <a href= "http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345693609&sr=8-1"> →buy</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="Category:B1_grammar_points" title= "wikilink">Category:B1 grammar points</a></p> </body> </html>