Chinese Prepositions

Grammar > Chinese Prepositions 汉语介词

Grammatical Functions of Chinese Prepositions

In Chinese, prepositions(介词 jiècí) are generally used in front of nouns, pronouns, or noun-phrases to form prepositional phrases( prep. + n./pron./noun phrase ), indicating time, place, direction, object, purpose, reason, manner, passive, comparison or exclusion.

In Chinese, a prepositional phrase(介词短语 jiècí duǎnyǔ) can be used as an attributive(定语), an adverbial(状语) or a complement(补语).

As an attributive (定语 Dìngyǔ)

In grammar, an attributive is a word or phrase that modifies the head noun.

The particle "的" is the marker of the attributive. In the following sentences, the structure  prep. + n. + 的  are used as an attributive to describe the  head noun . For example:
--- 在(prep.) +桌子(n.)  +上(prep.) +的 +那本词典(head noun)
--- 有关(prep.) +中国历史(n.) +的 + 书(head noun)
--- 对(prep.) +这个问题(n.) +的 +看法(head noun) .

1. Zài zhuōzi shàng de nà běn cídiǎn shì wǒ de.
   在桌子上的那本词典是我的。
   The dictionary on the desk is mine.
2. Tā shì yī běn yǒuguān zhōngguó lìshǐ de shū.
   它是一本有关中国历史的书。
   It is a book about Chinese history.
3. Wǒ tóngyì nǐ duì zhège wèntí de kànfǎ.
   我同意你对这个问题的看法。
   I agree with your opinions on this issue.

Please note: when used as an attributive, "的" need to be added after the prepositional phrase.
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As an adverbial (状语 Zhuàngyǔ)

Adverbial is the part of a sentence that we use to give more information about predicate.

The structure  prep. + n./pron. (Prepositional Phrase) can be used as an adverbial to modify predicate in the sentence. For example:
--- 通过(prep.)  +努力(n.) 
--- 由(prep.)  +你(pron.)
--- 与(prep.)  +同学们(n.)

Adverbial prepositional phrases can be placed in the following two positions of the sentences:

1. Before the Subject:

When the prepositional phrases that represent time, place, purpose, or reason are used as adverbials, they can be placed before the subject.
[Adverbial, Subject + ...]
--- 通过努力(Adverbial) ， 我们(Subject) + ...

• Tōngguò nǔlì, wǒmen kěyǐ huòdé chénggōng.
  通过努力，我们可以获得成功。
  Through hard work, we can achieve success.

2. Between the Subject and Predicate:

Most adverbials are located between the Subject and the Predicate , which modify and restrict the role of the predicate.
[ Subject  +Adverbial  +Predicate]
--- 任务(Subject) ... 由你 (Adverbial) ... 完成(Predicate) 
--- 她(Subject) ... 与同学们 (Adverbial) ... 相处(Predicate) ...

• Zhège rènwù bìxū yóu nǐ lái wánchéng.
  这个任务必须由你来完成。
  This task must be fulfilled by you.
• Tā yǔ tóngxuémen xiāngchǔ dé hěn hǎo.
  她与同学们相处得很好。
  She gets on very well with her classmates.

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As a complement (补语 Bǔyǔ)

A complement is a sentence part used after a verb or an adjective that supplements the result, degree, tendency, likelihood, state, or quantity of the predicate.

A few prepositional phrases ( prep. + n./pron. ) can be placed after predicates as a complement. For example:
- 气温(Subject) ... +降(Predicate) +至(prep.) +零下十度(n.) 
- 我们(Subject) ...  +工作(Predicate) +到(prep.) +晚上(n.) 
- 他(Subject)  +生(Predicate) +于(prep.) +1990年3月29日(n.)

1. Jīnwǎn qìwēn huì jiàng zhì língxià shí dù.
   今晚气温会降至零下十度。
   The temperature will drop to minus ten degrees tonight.
2. Wǒmen yīzhí gōngzuò dào wǎnshàng.
   我们一直工作到晚上。
   We have been working until the evening.
3. Tā shēng yú 1990 nián 3 yuè 29 rì.
   他生于1990年3月29日。
   He was born on March 29, 1990.

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