Mastering Chinese Prepositions & Coverbs (介词)

Welcome to your complete revision guide for Prepositions and Coverbs for Pearson Edexcel A Level Chinese (9CN0)! Whether you are aiming for top marks in your Paper 2 translation, polishing your Paper 1 reading comprehension, or aiming for fluent and accurate structures in your Paper 3 speaking, mastering prepositions is essential.

In Chinese grammar, prepositions are often called coverbs because many of them originally evolved from verbs (for instance, 用 means to use as a verb, but with/using as a coverb). Don't worry if this sounds a bit technical at first; once you learn the basic sentence pattern, it works like clockwork!

The Golden Rule of Word Order

The single biggest mistake English speakers make in A Level Chinese is copying English word order. In English, we often put prepositional phrases at the very end of a sentence:

English: I study Chinese in Beijing with my teacher.
Incorrect Chinese: 我学中文在北京跟我的老师。 (This is a major mark penalty in Paper 2 translation!)

In Chinese, the prepositional phrase almost always comes BEFORE the main action verb. Think of it like setting the stage (where, with what, for whom) before the action takes place.

Core Formula:
Subject + [Preposition + Noun/Object] + Main Verb + (Object)

Example:
他 (Subject) + 为我 (Prepositional Phrase) + 准备 (Verb) + 晚饭 (Object)。
Tā wèi wǒ zhǔnbèi wǎnfàn.
(He prepared dinner for me.)

Category Breakdown: The 7 Specification Groups

1. Time (时间): 从 (cóng), 到 (dào), 在 (zài)

These coverbs specify start points, end points, and locations in time. They must appear before the main verb.

• 从 (cóng) = From (starting point in time/place)
• 到 (dào) = To / Until (endpoint)
• 在 (zài) = At / In / On (at a specific point in time)

Example Sentences:
• 我们从星期一开始考试。
Wǒmen cóng xīngqīyī kāishǐ kǎoshì. (We start exams from Monday.)
• 他从早上八点到下午五点都在图书馆学习。
Tā cóng zǎoshang bā diǎn dào xiàwǔ wǔ diǎn dōu zài túshūguǎn xuéxí. (He studies in the library from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.)
• 我在周末喜欢看电影。
Wǒ zài zhōumò xǐhuan kàn diànyǐng. (I like watching movies at the weekend.)

2. Beneficiary (受益者): 给 (gěi), 为 (wèi), 替 (tì)

Beneficiary coverbs tell us who receives the benefit of an action or on whose behalf an action is carried out.

• 给 (gěi) = For / To (everyday, informal and general use)
• 为 (wèi) = For (more formal register, frequently used in written essays and formal speech)
• 替 (tì) = On behalf of / In place of

Example Sentences:
• 妈妈经常给我们做饭。
Māma jīngcháng gěi wǒmen zuòfàn. (Mum often cooks for us.)
• 政府应该为年轻人提供更多的就业机会。
Zhèngfǔ yīnggāi wèi niánqīng rén tígōng gèng duō de jiùyè jīhuì. (The government should provide more employment opportunities for young people.)
• 老师今天生病了，张老师替她上课。
Lǎoshī jīntiān shēngbìng le, Zhāng lǎoshī tì tā shàngkè. (The teacher is ill today, so Teacher Zhang is teaching the class on her behalf.)

3. Instrument (工具): 用 (yòng), 以 (yǐ)

Instrument coverbs indicate the tool, method, or means used to carry out an action. Always position the instrument phrase before the verb!

• 用 (yòng) = Using / With (standard, spoken and written Chinese)
• 以 (yǐ) = With / In / By means of (formal, written register)

Example Sentences:
• 中国人习惯用筷子吃饭。
Zhōngguó rén xíguàn yòng kuàizi chīfàn. (Chinese people are accustomed to eating with chopsticks.)
• 学校将以书面形式通知家长。
Xuéxiào jiāng yǐ shūmiàn xíngshì tōngzhī jiāzhǎng. (The school will inform parents in written form.)

4. Facing and Direction (方向): 向 (xiàng), 往 (wǎng), 朝 (cháo)

These coverbs indicate direction and orientation.

• 向 (xiàng) = Towards / To (used with physical motion and abstract actions like 'learning from' or 'asking')
• 往 (wǎng) = Towards / In the direction of (primarily physical movement)
• 朝 (cháo) = Facing / Towards (often used for static orientations, such as building aspects)

Example Sentences:
• 我们应该向他学习。
Wǒmen yīnggāi xiàng tā xuéxí. (We should learn from him.)
• 请一直往前走。
Qǐng yìzhí wǎng qián zǒu. (Please keep walking straight ahead.)
• 我的卧室窗户朝南。
Wǒ de wòshì chuānghu cháo nán. (My bedroom window faces south.)

5. Comparison (比较): 比 (bǐ), 跟/和 (gēn/hé), 没有 (méiyǒu)

Comparison structures are essential for expressing analytical opinions in Paper 2 and Paper 3.

A. Superiority Comparison (比):
Formula: A + 比 + B + Adjective
• 火车比公共汽车快。
Huǒchē bǐ gōnggòng qìchē kuài. (The train is faster than the bus.)

B. Equal Comparison (跟 / 和 ... 一样):
Formula: A + 跟/和 + B + 一样 + (Adjective)
• 这本小说和那本小说一样有趣。
Zhè běn xiǎoshuō hé nà běn xiǎoshuō yíyàng yǒuqù. (This novel is just as interesting as that novel.)

C. Negative Comparison (没有):
Formula: A + 没有 + B + (那么/这么) + Adjective
• 骑自行车没有坐地铁那么方便。
Qí zìxíngchē méiyǒu zuò dìtiě nàme fāngbiàn. (Riding a bicycle is not as convenient as taking the underground.)

6. Distance (距离): 离 (lí)

Use 离 (lí) to express how close or far two points are from each other.

Formula: A + 离 + B + (很远 / 很近 / Exact Distance)

Example Sentences:
• 我家离学校很近。
Wǒ jiā lí xuéxiào hěn jìn. (My house is very close to the school.)
• 图书馆离这里只有两百米。
Túshūguǎn lí zhèlǐ zhǐyǒu liǎng bǎi mǐ. (The library is only 200 metres from here.)

7. Regarding and Attitude (关于/态度): 对 (duì), 关于 (guānyú), 对于 (duìyú)

These coverbs introduce topics, attitudes, or objects of concern.

• 对 (duì) = To / Towards (attitudes, emotions, feelings towards someone or something)
• 关于 (guānyú) = About / Concerning (introduces a broad subject or topic of a book, article, or speech)
• 对于 (duìyú) = Regarding / With regard to (formal register, introduces an issue being evaluated or addressed)

Example Sentences:
• 我对中国传统文化非常感兴趣。
Wǒ duì Zhōngguó chuántǒng wénhuà fēicháng gǎn xìngqù. (I am very interested in traditional Chinese culture.)
• 这是一本关于环境保护的书。
Zhè shì yì běn guānyú huánjìng bǎohù de shū. (This is a book about environmental protection.)
• 对于这个问题，大家有不同的看法。
Duìyú zhège wèntí, dàjiā yǒu bùtóng de kànfǎ. (Regarding this issue, everyone has different views.)

Common Examiner Pitfalls to Avoid

Examiner reports highlight recurring errors that cost students easy marks. Keep an eye out for these five traps:

1. English Word Order Clashes
Wrong: 我工作在伦敦。
Correct: 我在伦敦工作。
Tip: Never put the location or coverb phrase at the end of the sentence like in English.

2. Confusing 为 (wèi) and 为了 (wèile)
Trap: Using 为了 when you mean "for the benefit of a person".
• Use 为 (wèi) for beneficiaries: 老师为学生准备了复习资料。(The teacher prepared revision materials for the students.)
• Use 为了 (wèile) for expressing an overall purpose or goal: 为了提高汉语水平，他每天练习。(In order to improve his Chinese level, he practices every day.)

3. Saying "Not as... as" with 不比 instead of 没有
Wrong: 哥哥不比弟弟高。(This means "The older brother is not taller than the younger brother" - which implies he might be equally tall).
Correct: 哥哥没有弟弟那么高。(The older brother is not as tall as the younger brother.)

4. Dropping 对 (duì) with Attitude Verbs
In English, we say "I am interested in..." without thinking of prepositions. In Chinese, verbs and adjectives of attitude require 对:
• 对...感兴趣 (interested in...)
• 对...有好处 (beneficial to...)
• 对...很热情 (warm/friendly towards...)

5. Misplacing Instrument Markers
Wrong: 他写字用毛笔。
Correct: 他用毛笔写字。
Tip: Always put 用 + tool before the verb!

Quick Revision Checklist

Before entering the exam room, test yourself on whether you can:

• Correctly build sentences using the Subject + [Coverb Phrase] + Verb structure.
• Switch registers appropriately: use 以 and 对于 for formal writing, and 用 and 对 for standard contexts.
• Form clean comparison sentences using 比, 跟...一样, and 没有...那么.
• Accurately measure distance with A 离 B + Distance/Adjective.