Lessons 21, 24, 25, 26: To regard as, to count as, to act as: 当, 算, 以……为……, 象征, 为

Words and structures meaning "to regard as, to treat as, to symbolize, to become".

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 21 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 24 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 25 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 26

长城是中国古老历史和文化的象征。

Chángchéng shì Zhōngguó gǔlǎo lìshǐ hé wénhuà de xiàngzhēng.

The Great Wall is a symbol of China's long history and culture.

Explanation

当 (当做; to treat as; English: think, treat as, regard as, take for):

A. To consider, to treat as, to regard as (认为，作为，看成). Can take 了; must take a noun as its object. Mostly used in 把 sentences and 被 sentences. Example: 我把北京当做我的第二故乡.

B. 以为 "to think (mistakenly) that". Can take a verb or a subject-predicate phrase as its object. Cannot take 了 or 过; used in colloquial speech. Example: 我当他是韩国人呢，原来他也是日本人呀.

算 (To calculate, to count, to count as; English: calculate, count):

A. 计算: to calculate (你算算今天一共花了多少钱; 对不起，你算错了).

B. 计算进去: to include in the count (算上王老师一共去了十九个).

C. 当作、算作: to regard as, to count as (我算什么球迷; 我到现在才算弄懂“把”字句的用法; 今天算我请客).

D. "就 + 算 + subject-predicate phrase" expresses concession, that is 即使 ("even if"): 就算现在坐出租车去也来不及了.

以……为…… (To take... as..., to regard... as...; English: with... as...):

A. 把……作为……，认为……是……: take/regard A as B.

B. When what follows 为 is an adjective, it expresses the result of a comparison (which one comes out as such): 喝酒以不醉为好; 这里的留学生以亚洲人为最多.

象征 (To symbolize; English: symbols, symbolize):

A. (noun) a concrete thing used to express some special meaning; mostly used as the object of 是 and 作为.

B. (verb) to use a concrete thing to express some special meaning. Can take a noun or a subject-predicate phrase as its object; can take 着; cannot take a complement and cannot be reduplicated.

为 (wéi; English: do, as, act as, serve as, turn, become, be):

A. 作为，充当，算作: to serve as, to be, to act as (大家选他为班长; 要以课文为主).

B. 变成，成为: to become, to turn into (梁山伯和祝英台最后化为一对蝴蝶).

C. 做，干: to do (有所不为才能有所为).

D. 是: to be (中国大陆总面积为960多万平方公里).

E. 被: to be (done by) — used with 所 in passive sentences, in the form 为……所 + V (她为这个故事所感动).

Structure

1
把A当(做/成)B | 当V/cụm chủ vị呢optional
A: to consider, to treat as; can take 了 and a noun object, mostly used in 把 and 被 sentences. B: 以为 "to think (mistakenly) that"; can take a verb or a subject-predicate phrase; cannot take 了/过; used in colloquial speech.
- 你就把这次当试验吧，在我的头上练练手艺。
  Nǐ jiù bǎ zhè cì dàng shìyàn ba, zài wǒ de tóu shang liànlian shǒuyì.
  Just treat this as a trial and practice your skills on me.
- 把这个东西当做礼物送给她吧。
  Bǎ zhège dōngxi dàngzuò lǐwù sònggěi tā ba.
  Take this as a gift and give it to her.
- 我当他是韩国人呢，原来他也是日本人呀。
  Wǒ dàng tā shì Hánguórén ne, yuánlái tā yě shì Rìběnrén ya.
  I thought he was Korean, but it turns out he is Japanese too.
- 我把北京当做我的第二故乡。
  Wǒ bǎ Běijīng dàngzuò wǒ de dì-èr gùxiāng.
  I regard Beijing as my second hometown.
- 你就把我当成你的姐姐吧。
  Nǐ jiù bǎ wǒ dàngchéng nǐ de jiějie ba.
  Just think of me as your older sister.
- 我当是玛丽回来了呢，原来是你呀。
  Wǒ dàng shì Mǎlì huílái le ne, yuánlái shì nǐ ya.
  I thought Mary had come back, but it turns out it's you.
- 我当你去看电影了呢，原来你没去呀。
  Wǒ dàng nǐ qù kàn diànyǐng le ne, yuánlái nǐ méi qù ya.
  I thought you had gone to see a movie, but it turns out you didn't go.
2
算(số lượng) | 算上…| 才算…| 就算cụm chủ vị
A: to calculate, to count. B: to include in the count. C: to regard as, to count as. D: 就 + 算 + subject-predicate phrase expresses concession, that is 即使 (even if).
- 对不起，你算错了。
  Duìbuqǐ, nǐ suàncuò le.
  Sorry, you calculated it wrong.
- 我算什么球迷，你还没有见过真正的球迷呢。
  Wǒ suàn shénme qiúmí, nǐ hái méiyǒu jiànguo zhēnzhèng de qiúmí ne.
  What kind of football fan am I? You haven't seen a real fan yet.
- 就算现在坐出租车去也来不及了。
  Jiùsuàn xiànzài zuò chūzūchē qù yě láibují le.
  Even if you took a taxi now, you still wouldn't make it in time.
- 你算算今天一共花了多少钱。
  Nǐ suànsuan jīntiān yígòng huāle duōshao qián.
  Calculate how much money you spent in total today.
- 算上王老师一共去了十九个。
  Suàn shàng Wáng lǎoshī yígòng qùle shíjiǔ gè.
  Counting Teacher Wang, nineteen people went in total.
- 我到现在才算弄懂“把”字句的用法。
  Wǒ dào xiànzài cái suàn nòngdǒng “bǎ” zì jù de yòngfǎ.
  Only now do I finally understand how to use the 把 sentence.
- 今天算我请客，你们说喜欢吃什么。
  Jīntiān suàn wǒ qǐngkè, nǐmen shuō xǐhuan chī shénme.
  Today it's my treat; tell me what you'd like to eat.
3
以A为B | 以A为Adjadjective
A: 把……作为……，认为……是……: take A as B, regard A as B. B: when what follows 为 is an adjective, it expresses the result of a comparison (which one comes out as such).
- 你以她为目标，就算你能做到，最多是和她一样好，而不会比她更好。
  Nǐ yǐ tā wéi mùbiāo, jiùsuàn nǐ néng zuòdào, zuì duō shì hé tā yíyàng hǎo, ér bú huì bǐ tā gèng hǎo.
  If you take her as your goal, then even if you succeed, at best you will only be as good as she is, not better than her.
- 以这个句子为例句，请大家每人造一个句子。
  Yǐ zhège jùzi wéi lìjù, qǐng dàjiā měi rén zào yí ge jùzi.
  Taking this sentence as a model, everyone please make up a sentence of your own.
- 这次表演以你们班为主。
  Zhè cì biǎoyǎn yǐ nǐmen bān wéi zhǔ.
  This performance will mainly be done by your class.
- 词的读音应该以词典的注音为标准。
  Cí de dúyīn yīnggāi yǐ cídiǎn de zhùyīn wéi biāozhǔn.
  The pronunciation of a word should be based on the pinyin in the dictionary.
- 喝酒以不醉为好。
  Hē jiǔ yǐ bú zuì wéi hǎo.
  When drinking, it is best not to get drunk.
- 这里的留学生以亚洲人为最多。
  Zhèlǐ de liúxuéshēng yǐ Yàzhōurén wéi zuì duō.
  The international students here are mostly from Asia.
4
是/作为…的象征 | 象征(着)Nnoun
A (noun): a concrete thing expressing a special meaning, often the object of 是/作为. B (verb): takes a noun or subject-predicate phrase as its object; can take 着; takes no complement; cannot be reduplicated.
- 红色在中国被认为是吉祥和喜庆的颜色。也是革命的象征。
  Hóngsè zài Zhōngguó bèi rènwéi shì jíxiáng hé xǐqìng de yánsè. Yě shì gémìng de xiàngzhēng.
  In China, red is considered the color of good luck and joy. It is also a symbol of revolution.
- 两国领导人一起种下了一棵松树，象征着两国的友好关系像松树一样永远常青。
  Liǎng guó lǐngdǎorén yìqǐ zhòngxiàle yì kē sōngshù, xiàngzhēngzhe liǎng guó de yǒuhǎo guānxi xiàng sōngshù yíyàng yǒngyuǎn chángqīng.
  The leaders of the two countries planted a pine tree together, symbolizing that the friendship between the two countries will stay evergreen like a pine.
- 长城是中国古老历史和文化的象征。
  Chángchéng shì Zhōngguó gǔlǎo lìshǐ hé wénhuà de xiàngzhēng.
  The Great Wall is a symbol of China's long history and culture.
- 我们常把鸽子作为和平的象征。
  Wǒmen cháng bǎ gēzi zuòwéi hépíng de xiàngzhēng.
  We often regard the dove as a symbol of peace.
- 红色象征喜庆，绿色象征和平。
  Hóngsè xiàngzhēng xǐqìng, lǜsè xiàngzhēng hépíng.
  Red symbolizes joy, and green symbolizes peace.
5
Vverb为N (选……为, 化为, 结拜为, 面积为) | 为……所Vverb
A: to serve as, to be, to act as (作为, 充当, 算作). B: to become, to turn into. C: to do (做, 干). D: to be (是). E: to be (done by) (被), used with 所 in passive sentences.
- 他们在杭州草桥结拜为兄弟。
  Tāmen zài Hángzhōu Cǎoqiáo jiébài wéi xiōngdì.
  They became sworn brothers at Caoqiao Bridge in Hangzhou.
- 要以课文为主，通过课文学习词语的用法。
  Yào yǐ kèwén wéi zhǔ, tōngguò kèwén xuéxí cíyǔ de yòngfǎ.
  You should take the text as the main focus and learn how to use words through the text.
- 一个人一生中，有所不为才能有所为。
  Yí ge rén yìshēng zhōng, yǒu suǒ bù wéi cáinéng yǒu suǒ wéi.
  In a person's whole life, there are some things you must not do if you want to accomplish something.
- 她为这个故事所感动，想把它改成电影。
  Tā wèi zhège gùshi suǒ gǎndòng, xiǎng bǎ tā gǎichéng diànyǐng.
  She was moved by this story and wanted to adapt it into a film.
- 大家选他为班长。
  Dàjiā xuǎn tā wéi bānzhǎng.
  Everyone elected him class monitor.
- 梁山伯和祝英台最后化为一对蝴蝶。
  Liáng Shānbó hé Zhù Yīngtái zuìhòu huàwéi yí duì húdié.
  Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai finally turned into a pair of butterflies.
- 中国大陆总面积为960多万平方公里。
  Zhōngguó dàlù zǒng miànjī wéi jiǔbǎi liùshí duō wàn píngfāng gōnglǐ.
  The total area of mainland China is more than 9.6 million square kilometers.

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