(yòng yú) - to be used for, to be used in in Mandarin
yòngyúTraditional: 用於
Translation
to be used for, to be used in
Word origin
A verb plus the classical preposition 于 (yú, at, in, for), a pattern inherited from literary Chinese and still productive in formal writing.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 用 (yòng, to use) + 于 (yú, at, in, for)
Stroke order
用
于
Examples
笔。
This money will be used for building the school.
。
This word is mostly used in written Chinese.
。
This medicine is used to treat colds.
。
That room is now used for storing tools.
。
These materials are for research use only.
用于 (yòng yú) states what something is for. The subject is the thing being used, and what follows 于 is the purpose: 这笔钱用于建设, 这个词用于书面语.
It belongs to formal register. Reports, labels, contracts and instruction manuals are full of it; a conversation about which pan to use is not. In speech the ordinary choice is 用来 followed by a verb, as in 这个用来切菜.
That is the split worth memorising. 用于 prefers a noun after it and stays in writing, while 用来 prefers a verb phrase and lives in speech. Both translate as used for, which is why English speakers reach for the wrong one.
Where this fits
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用于: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "用于" (to be used for, to be used in): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 51.