为 (for / on behalf of)

• Pinyin: wèi
• Formation: Subject + 为 + Beneficiary + Verb / Adjective

Meaning

The preposition 为 (wèi) means 'for' or 'on behalf of' and is used to indicate the beneficiary of an action. It introduces the person or party that the action is performed for, placing them before the verb.

As a preposition meaning 'for,' 为 is more formal than 给 and is preferred in written Chinese, official statements, and elevated speech. While 给 is the everyday spoken equivalent, 为 carries a sense of purpose, dedication, or service. It frequently appears in phrases expressing sacrifice, effort, or contribution on someone's behalf. 为 can also combine with abstract nouns to express purpose (为了 + goal). In contrast to 替 which implies substitution ('in place of'), 为 emphasises benefiting the other party. Note that 为 has two pronunciations: wèi (for/on behalf of) and wéi (to be/to act as), and learners must distinguish between these.

Examples

1. 父母一辈子都在为子女操劳。 Parents spend their entire lives working hard for their children.
2. 公司决定为全体员工加薪百分之十。 The company decided to give all employees a ten percent raise.
3. 志愿者们为灾区群众送去了急需的物资。 Volunteers delivered urgently needed supplies to the disaster-affected residents.

Usage Guide

Context: written, formal, spoken

Tone: purposeful

Do Say

• 政府为低收入家庭提供了住房补贴。
• 老师常常为学生的成长感到欣慰。
• 我们应该为社会的进步贡献自己的力量。
• 他为了家人的幸福，放弃了出国的机会。

Don't Say

• 我为你买了一杯咖啡，在桌子上。 (In casual daily conversation, 给 is more natural than 为 for simple everyday actions) → 我给你买了一杯咖啡，在桌子上。
• 她为哭了整整一个晚上。 (为 requires a beneficiary or purpose — it cannot be left dangling without an object) → 她为这件事哭了整整一个晚上。
• 他为很高兴这件事。 (为 cannot directly precede adjectives without a clear object — restructure with 为...感到...) → 他为这件事感到很高兴。

Origin & History

The character 为 is one of the most ancient and versatile words in Chinese, appearing in oracle bone inscriptions. Its prepositional use meaning 'for the sake of' developed during the classical period and remains a hallmark of formal modern Chinese.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal