LEARN + CHINESE / 38 of 300 HSK 2
Who It’s For, Who It’s About 给/对/离
These three short words connect an action to a person or a place in different ways. 给 marks who receives something, 对 points to the person being addressed or affected, and 离 measures distance from a reference point.
Giving Something to a Recipient
我把文件给你发过去了，你收到以后告诉我。
Wǒ bǎ wénjiàn gěi nǐ fā guòqù le, nǐ shōudào yǐhòu gàosu wǒ.
I sent the file over to you; let me know when you get it.
给 answers “to whom?” The recipient comes after 给 and before the action.
The Person Addressed or Affected
老师对我们说，这次考试并不难。
Lǎoshī duì wǒmen shuō, zhè cì kǎoshì bìng bù nán.
The teacher told us that this exam isn’t difficult.
对 points toward the person receiving the words. It is not the same as 给 here: the teacher is speaking to us, not handing us an object.
Distance from a Point
火车站离这里还有十分钟的路程。
Huǒchēzhàn lí zhèlǐ hái yǒu shí fēnzhōng de lùchéng.
The train station is still a ten-minute trip from here.
离 measures how much distance or time separates one point from another. In this sentence, it is the time left before departure.
Hint · 힌트
Ask a different question for each word: 给谁 (to whom?), 对谁 (toward whom?), 离哪儿 (how far or how long from what point?).
In Real Life
给 and 对 can both appear before a person, but the relationship changes: 给 marks a recipient, while 对 marks who an action, comment, or attitude is directed toward.
Vocabulary
| Chinese | English |
|---|---|
gěi | to; for (a recipient) |
wénjiàn | file; document |
fā guòqù | to send over |
shōudào | to receive |
yǐhòu | after; later |
gàosu | to tell |
duì | toward; to (a person) |
lǎoshī | teacher |
kǎoshì | exam; to take an exam |
zhè cì | this time |
bìng bù | not at all; certainly not |
nán | difficult |
lí | from; away from |
zhèlǐ | here |
zǒu dào | to walk to; reach on foot |
huǒchēzhàn | train station |
lùchéng | distance; journey |
hái yǒu | still have; remain |
fēnzhōng | minute |
cóng | from |
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