▎對於, duìyú, (Prep, Ptc), towards, regarding (1)

 

Function 對於 is basically a prep, rather formal and advanced, meaning ‘towards etc’. But, it can also function as an object marker.

(1) 對於 as a prep: In this function, it marks the target, a direction at, of a state (esp attitudes) or an action, towards, regarding, as far as A is concerned.

1 對於城鄉學生，這都是福音。

Duìyú chéngxiāng xuéshēng, zhè dōu shì fúyīn.

For both urban and rural students, this is good news.

2 這對於教育過程也有指引作用。

Zhè duìyú jiàoyù guòchéng yě yǒu zhǐyǐn zuòyòng.

This also play a guiding role in the education process.

3 對於男友的疏遠感到不甘心而憤怒。

Duìyú nányǒu de shūyuǎn gǎndào bù gānxīn ér fènnù.

Her boyfriend is keeping her at a distance. She’s angry and not taking it lying down.

4 對於國家來說，這是一種損失。

Duìyú guójiā lái shuō, zhè shì yì zhǒng sǔnshī.

This is a loss of sorts for the country.

(2) 對於 as an object-marker (particle): In this function, 對於 moves the object of a transitive verb to the front of a VP. This function is similar to the ‘of’ in ‘the killing of wild animals’.

1 韓國人對於學歷的看重不次於中國人。(=看重學歷)

Hánguó rén duìyú xuélì de kànzhòng bú cìyú Zhōngguó rén. (= kànzhòng xuélì)

Koreans attach as much importance to degrees as the Chinese. (=importance attached to degrees)

2 那也可以緩和一下人們對於死亡的恐懼。(=恐懼死亡)

Nà yě kěyǐ huǎnhé yíxià rénmen duìyú sǐwáng de kǒngjù. (= kǒngjù sǐwáng)

That can also mitigate the fear of death people have. (=fear death)

3 對於那天的事，她仍然很在意。(=在意那天的事)

Duìyú nà tiān de shì, tā réngrán hěn zàiyì. (= zàiyì nà tiān de shì)

She still cares about what happened that day. (=care about the events of that day)

4 對於她的問句，我只用搖頭來回答。

Duìyú tā de wènjù, wǒ zhǐ yòng yáotóu lái huídá.

I merely shook my head in answer to her question.

 

Structures 對於 is not a typical preposition. It can be placed at the very beginning of a sentence, or following a subject, as can be seen above.

Negation：Negation never precedes 對於, except 不是. The primary verb receives negation, e.g.,

1 對於國家來說，這並不是一種損失。

Duìyú guójiā lái shuō, zhè bìng bú shì yì zhǒng sǔnshī.

This is no loss to the nation.

2 對於那天的事，她不是一點都不在意。

Duìyú nà tiān de shì, tā búshì yìdiǎn dōu bú zàiyì.

She isn’t completely apathetic about the events of that day.

Questions：對於 cannot itself occur in the A-not-A pattern. 是不是 must be used. 嗎 questions are always possible.

1 對於那天的事，她都不在意嗎？

Duìyú nà tiān de shì, tā dōu bú zàiyì ma?

Is she completely indifferent about what happened that day?

2 對於城鄉學生這都是福音嗎？

Duìyú chéngxiāng xuéshēng zhè dōu shì fúyīn ma?

Is this good news for both urban and rural students?

3 對於那天的事，她是不是都不在意？

Duìyú nà tiān de shì, tā shìbúshì dōu bú zàiyì?

Is she completely unconcerned about what happened that day?

4 是不是對於城鄉學生這都是福音？

Shì búshì duìyú chéngxiāng xuéshēng zhè dōu shì fúyīn?

Is this good news for both urban and rural students?

 

Usage 對於 is partly a formal counterpart of 對. They are interchangeable in many situations, but not all, e.g.,

1 請不要對不懂事的孩子生氣。

Qǐng bú yào duì bù dǒngshì de háizi shēngqì.

Please don’t get angry with children who don’t know any better.

＊請不要對於不懂事的孩子生氣。

＊Qǐng bú yào duìyú bù dǒngshì de háizi shēngqì.

Please don’t get angry with children who don’t know any better.

2 她總是對外國人不禮貌。

Tā zǒngshì duì wàiguó rén bù lǐmào.

She is always impolite to foreigners.

＊她總是對於外國人不禮貌。

＊Tā zǒngshì duìyú wàiguó rén bù lǐmào.

She is always impolite to foreigners.