Object Prepositions: 对、给、离、为
对 (duì), 给 (gěi), 离 (lí) and 为 (wèi) are prepositions that mark who or what an action is aimed at. 对 means toward or about, 给 for or to, 离 away from, and 为 for the sake of, all placed before the verb.
- 对 (duì) = toward/regarding (attitude or action directed at someone/something)
- 给 (gěi) = for/to (beneficiary or recipient)
- 离 (lí) = from/away from (distance between two points)
- 为 (wèi) = for the sake of/for (purpose or benefit)
Structure: Subject + preposition + object + verb phrase
✅ 他对我很好。(He is very good to me.)
✅ 请给我一杯水。(Please give me a glass of water.)
✅ 学校离我家很近。(The school is close to my home.)
✅ 我为你做了饭。(I made food for you.)
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 她对学习很认真。 | Tā duì xué xí hěn rèn zhēn. | She is very serious about studying. | 对 introduces the topic/target of an attitude or description |
| 学校离这里只有五分钟。 | Xué xiào lí zhè lǐ zhǐ yǒu wǔ fēn zhōng. | The school is only five minutes from here. | 离 shows distance between two locations; subject + 离 + reference point + distance |
| 妈妈为我们做了很多好吃的。 | Māma wèi wǒ men zuò le hěn duō hǎo chī de. | Mom made a lot of delicious food for us. | 为 introduces the beneficiary — who the action benefits |
Word by word
Each word in this pattern on its own: what it does here, the structure, three more examples, and the mistake to avoid.
对 (duì)
Points the attitude or action at its target: 'toward', 'about'.
Structure: 对 + target + verb / adj
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 他对我很好。 | Tā duì wǒ hěn hǎo. | He is very good to me. |
| 我对音乐很有兴趣。 | Wǒ duì yīn yuè hěn yǒu xìng qù. | I am very interested in music. |
| 她对我笑了一下。 | Tā duì wǒ xiào le yí xià. | She smiled at me. |
Not: 他很好对我。 The 对 phrase goes before the verb or adjective: 他对我很好.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 1, prepositions (引出对象).
给 (gěi)
Marks who an action is done for: 'for', 'to'.
Structure: 给 + person + verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我给你买了一杯咖啡。 | Wǒ gěi nǐ mǎi le yì bēi kā fēi. | I bought you a cup of coffee. |
| 请给他打电话。 | Qǐng gěi tā dǎ diàn huà. | Please call him. |
| 他给孩子讲了一个故事。 | Tā gěi hái zi jiǎng le yí gè gù shì. | He told the child a story. |
Not: 我买了给你一杯咖啡。 The 给 phrase goes before the verb: 我给你买了一杯咖啡.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 2, prepositions (引出对象).
给 is also explained in: Double Object Sentences: 给/送 + person + thing (HSK 2).
离 (lí)
Gives the distance between two places or times.
Structure: A + 离 + B + far / near
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我家离地铁站很近。 | Wǒ jiā lí dì tiě zhàn hěn jìn. | My home is close to the metro station. |
| 机场离这里有多远？ | Jī chǎng lí zhè lǐ yǒu duō yuǎn? | How far is the airport from here? |
| 学校离公司不远。 | Xué xiào lí gōng sī bù yuǎn. | The school is not far from the company. |
Not: 学校到我家很近。 For the distance between two places use 离: 学校离我家很近.
为 (wèi)
Marks who the action is done for, in a slightly warmer tone than 给.
Structure: 为 + person + verb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我为你高兴。 | Wǒ wèi nǐ gāo xìng. | I am happy for you. |
| 他为了这个比赛练了很久。 | Tā wèi le zhè gè bǐ sài liàn le hěn jiǔ. | He practised for a long time for this match. |
| 谢谢你为我做的一切。 | Xiè xiè nǐ wèi wǒ zuò de yí qiè. | Thank you for everything you did for me. |
Not: 我做饭为妈妈。 The 为 phrase goes before the verb: 我为妈妈做饭.
In the official HSK 3.0 grammar outline: level 3, prepositions (引出对象); level 3, prepositions (引出目的、原因); level 7-9, quasi-suffixes.
What you need first
Every topic in GraphChinese names its own prerequisites, and these are the grammar points this one is built on. If a sentence here will not parse, one of them is why.
Questions about Object Prepositions
What does 引出对象的介词 (Object Prepositions) mean in Chinese?
对 (duì), 给 (gěi), 离 (lí) and 为 (wèi) are prepositions that mark who or what an action is aimed at. 对 means toward or about, 给 for or to, 离 away from, and 为 for the sake of, all placed before the verb. It is an HSK 2 grammar point.
How do you use 引出对象的介词 (Object Prepositions) in a sentence?
她对学习很认真。 — Tā duì xué xí hěn rèn zhēn. — She is very serious about studying. 对 introduces the topic/target of an attitude or description.
What do you need to know before 引出对象的介词 (Object Prepositions)?
Location with 在 (HSK 1). This pattern is built out of them, so a sentence here that will not parse usually means one of them has not landed yet.
Is 给 always 'to give'?
As a main verb it means give, but before a verb it means 'for', as in 我给你做饭, 'I cook for you'. That second use is what this point teaches.
How do I say two places are far apart?
Use 离: A离B很远. For example 我家离学校很远。 Do not use 从 or 到 for this.
Object Prepositions is one topic of 829. GraphChinese teaches them in prerequisite order, so this pattern reaches you on the day everything it rests on is proven. The whole course, HSK 0 through HSK 6, is $49 once for lifetime access.
Start at your true level