与

• Pinyin: yǔ
• Hanzi breakdown: 与 = simplified form of 與, depicting hands exchanging objects

Meaning

And; with; together with. A formal equivalent of 和 or 跟 for connecting nouns or indicating association.

A literary and formal preposition/conjunction used to connect nouns, indicate participation, or express comparison. More elegant than 和 in written Chinese. Appears in many compounds like 参与 (participate), 给与 (give), and 与其...不如... (rather than...it's better to...).

Examples

1. 这项政策与民众的利益密切相关。 This policy is closely related to the interests of the public.
2. 他与同事们合作完成了这个艰巨的项目。 He collaborated with his colleagues to complete this challenging project.
3. 与其抱怨，不如积极寻找解决方案。 Rather than complaining, it's better to actively look for solutions.

Usage Guide

Context: academic writing, news, official documents

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这与我们之前讨论的情况不同。(This is different from what we discussed before.)
• 与会代表来自二十多个国家。(The attending delegates came from over twenty countries.)

Don't Say

• 我与朋友去吃饭。(Too formal for casual speech — use 和 or 跟 in everyday contexts)

Origin & History

Originally depicted two hands passing an object, symbolizing giving or participating together. Extended to mean 'with' or 'and' as a connector.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal