jiècí: 介词 - Preposition

• Keywords: Chinese prepositions, 介词, jieci, Chinese grammar, learn Chinese prepositions, prepositional phrase in Chinese, what is a jieci, 在, 从, 对, 跟, 比, Chinese sentence structure, Mandarin grammar for beginners.
• Summary: In Chinese grammar, a 介词 (jiècí) is a preposition, a crucial type of word that establishes relationships between nouns and other parts of a sentence, such as location, time, direction, or method. For English speakers learning Mandarin, understanding the 介词 is key to mastering correct Chinese sentence structure. Unlike in English, prepositional phrases in Chinese almost always come *before* the verb they modify, a fundamental rule for building natural-sounding sentences with words like 在 (zài), 从 (cóng), and 跟 (gēn).

• Pinyin (with tone marks): jiècí
• Part of Speech: Noun (referring to the grammatical category of words)
• HSK Level: HSK 3 (as a concept; individual prepositions are learned from HSK 1)
• Concise Definition: A preposition is a word used with a noun or pronoun to show its relationship to another word in the sentence.
• In a Nutshell: Think of a `介词` as a “connector” or “glue word.” It takes a noun (like “the library,” “my friend,” or “Beijing”) and connects it to the main action of the sentence. It answers questions like “Where did the action happen?”, “With whom?”, “From where?”, or “For whom?”. The most important thing to remember is that the entire “connector + noun” phrase comes before the action word (verb).

• 介 (jiè): This character can mean “to be in between,” “to lie between,” or “to introduce.” Pictorially, it can be seen as a person (`人`) wearing armor, acting as a barrier or intermediary between two sides. This idea of being “in between” is central to its function in grammar.
• 词 (cí): This character means “word” or “term.” It is composed of the speech radical `言 (yán)` on the left, indicating it's related to language, and `司 (sī)` on the right, which primarily provides the phonetic sound.
• Together, 介词 (jiècí) literally translates to “in-between words,” a perfectly descriptive name for words that sit between a noun and a verb to connect them.

While a `介词` is a grammatical term, its usage reveals a core structural difference between Chinese and English thinking and sentence construction. This isn't about deep philosophy but about the logic of the language. In English, we often state the core action first and add details afterward: “I ate dinner with my family at home.” The primary information is “I ate dinner,” and the rest is supplementary. In Chinese, the context and conditions of an action are established *before* the action is stated. The sentence structure is typically Subject + [Context/Condition] + Verb + Object. The `介词` phrase is the primary way to set this context.

• Chinese: 我 在家 跟我家人 吃饭。 (Wǒ zài jiā gēn wǒ jiārén chīfàn.)
• Literal word order: I at home with my family eat dinner.

This “context-first” structure is a fundamental aspect of the language. Mastering the placement of `介词` phrases is not just about memorizing a grammar rule; it's about learning to structure your thoughts in a more Chinese way, by setting the scene before describing the main event.

`介词` are used constantly in every form of communication. Their main function is to form a prepositional phrase (介词短语, jiècí duǎnyǔ), which consists of the `介词` + Noun/Pronoun. This phrase then acts as an adverbial to describe the verb.

These are the most common uses. The preposition introduces where or when an action takes place.

• 在 (zài): at, in, on (location or time)
• 从 (cóng): from (location or time)
• 离 (lí): (be a distance) from
• 到 (dào): to, until

These prepositions clarify the target or direction of an action or attitude.

• 对 (duì): to, towards (often for attitudes, opinions)
• 向 (xiàng): towards (often for physical direction)
• 往 (wǎng): towards, to (interchangeable with 向 for direction)
• 给 (gěi): to, for (often for the recipient of an action)

These show who or what is involved with the subject in the action.

• 跟 (gēn): with
• 和 (hé): with (can also be a conjunction for “and”)
• 同 (tóng): with (more formal)

• 比 (bǐ): than (used in comparisons)
• 关于 (guānyú): about, regarding
• 根据 (gēnjù): according to, based on

• Example 1:
  • 我在图书馆看书。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zài túshūguǎn kànshū.
  • English: I read books at the library.
  • Analysis: The preposition 在 (zài) introduces the location “图书馆” (library). Notice the prepositional phrase 在图书馆 comes before the verb 看 (kàn).
• Example 2:
  • 她从上海坐火车来。
  • Pinyin: Tā cóng Shànghǎi zuò huǒchē lái.
  • English: She came by train from Shanghai.
  • Analysis: 从 (cóng) indicates the origin of the action. The phrase 从上海 (from Shanghai) sets the context for the verb 来 (lái).
• Example 3:
  • 你为什么对我这么好？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ wèishéme duì wǒ zhème hǎo?
  • English: Why are you so good to me?
  • Analysis: 对 (duì) here indicates the target of the attitude “好” (good). It clarifies who the kindness is directed “towards”.
• Example 4:
  • 我想跟你一起去。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ yīqǐ qù.
  • English: I want to go with you.
  • Analysis: 跟 (gēn) means “with” and introduces the person accompanying the subject. The phrase 跟你 must precede the verb 去 (qù).
• Example 5:
  • 哥哥比我高。
  • Pinyin: Gēge bǐ wǒ gāo.
  • English: My older brother is taller than me.
  • Analysis: 比 (bǐ) is the core preposition for making comparisons. The structure is “A 比 B + Adjective”.
• Example 6:
  • 妈妈给我做饭。
  • Pinyin: Māma gěi wǒ zuòfàn.
  • English: Mom cooks for me.
  • Analysis: 给 (gěi) shows the beneficiary of the action. The meal is made “for” me. The phrase 给我 comes right before the verb 做饭 (zuòfàn).
• Example 7:
  • 我家离公司不太远。
  • Pinyin: Wǒjiā lí gōngsī bù tài yuǎn.
  • English: My home is not too far from the company.
  • Analysis: 离 (lí) is used specifically to express the distance between two points. It connects the starting point (my home) to the reference point (the company).
• Example 8:
  • 我们向东走。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xiàng dōng zǒu.
  • English: We are walking towards the east.
  • Analysis: 向 (xiàng) indicates a clear direction of movement. It tells us *where* the action of walking is headed.
• Example 9:
  • 这本书是关于中国历史的。
  • Pinyin: Zhè běn shū shì guānyú Zhōngguó lìshǐ de.
  • English: This book is about Chinese history.
  • Analysis: 关于 (guānyú) is a common way to say “about” or “regarding,” introducing the topic of something.
• Example 10:
  • 为了健康，我每天都运动。
  • Pinyin: Wèile jiànkāng, wǒ měitiān dōu yùndòng.
  • English: For the sake of health, I exercise every day.
  • Analysis: 为了 (wèile) introduces the purpose or goal of an action. The prepositional phrase can even come before the subject to emphasize the reason.

• The Golden Rule: Prepositional Phrase BEFORE the Verb. This is the most common mistake for English speakers. You cannot put the prepositional phrase at the end of the sentence.
  • Incorrect: 我吃饭在家。 (Wǒ chīfàn zài jiā.)
  • Correct: 我在家吃饭。 (Wǒ zài jiā chīfàn.)
• `介词` vs. Verbs. Many common prepositions can also function as the main verb of a sentence. The key is to see if there is another, more primary action verb.
  • Verb: 我在家。 (Wǒ zài jiā.) - “I am at home.” (`在` is the main verb).
  • Preposition: 我在家吃饭。 (Wǒ zài jiā chīfàn.) - “I at home eat.” (`在` is the preposition; `吃` is the main verb).
• No Preposition Stranding. In English, we can ask “Who are you going with?”. The preposition “with” is left at the end. This is impossible in Chinese. The preposition must stay with its object.
  • Incorrect: 你去跟谁？ (Nǐ qù gēn shéi?)
  • Correct: 你跟谁去？ (Nǐ gēn shéi qù?) - “You with whom go?”

• 介词短语 (jiècí duǎnyǔ) - Prepositional phrase. This is the structure that a `介词` creates with a noun (e.g., `在中国`, `跟我`).
• 动词 (dòngcí) - Verb. The action word that a prepositional phrase typically modifies.
• 名词 (míngcí) - Noun. The word that follows a `介词` to complete the prepositional phrase.
• 连词 (liáncí) - Conjunction. Another “connector word” (like `和` and, `但是` but), but it connects words, phrases, or clauses of equal grammatical rank, whereas a `介词` shows the relationship between a noun and another part of the sentence.
• 方位词 (fāngwèicí) - Location Word. Words like `上` (on), `下` (under), `里` (inside), `外` (outside), which are often used after a noun in a `在` phrase (e.g., 在桌子上 - on the table).
• 状语 (zhuàngyǔ) - Adverbial. In Chinese grammar, a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb is considered an adverbial phrase.