In order to in Chinese 1 – 为了 wèile

Grammar Point:
“In order to” translates into Chinese as 為为了 wèile. It is a preposition used to indicate the purpose of an action or the intention or goal behind an action.

Structure

為为了 + aim/goal, do sth.

為了wèile學xué中文zhōngwén， 我wǒ決定juédìng去qù台灣Táiwān为了wèile学xué中文zhōngwén， 我wǒ决定juédìng去qù台湾Táiwān
In order to learn Chinese, I decided to go to Taiwan.

我wǒ為了wèile減肥jiǎnféi， 開始kāishǐ運動yùndòng我wǒ为了wèile减肥jiǎnféi， 开始kāishǐ运动yùndòng
I started to exercise in order to lose weight.

我wǒ為了wèile練習liànxí英文yīngwén， 開始kāishǐ做zuò這個zhège網站wǎngzhàn我wǒ为了wèile练习liànxí英文yīngwén， 开始kāishǐ做zuò这个zhège网站wǎngzhàn
I started this site to practice English.

Do sth. + 是 + 為为了 + aim/goal

It is used to emphasize the purpose or intention behind an action. By adding 是 shì, which means “is” or “to be,” it brings a stronger emphasis on the purpose clause. This structure is often used to clarify and emphasize the specific intention or goal behind an action.

我wǒ開始kāishǐ運動yùndòng， 是shì為了wèile減肥jiǎnféi我wǒ开始kāishǐ运动yùndòng， 是shì为了wèile减肥jiǎnféi
I started exercising to lose weight.

我wǒ搬bān去qù上海shànghǎi是shì為了wèile尋找xúnzhǎo更gèng好hǎo的de工作gōngzuò機會jīhuì我wǒ搬bān去qù上海shànghǎi是shì为了wèile寻找xúnzhǎo更gèng好hǎo的de工作gōngzuò机会jīhuì
I moved to Shanghai in order to seek better job opportunities.
(It emphasizes that the main motivation for the move was to find better job prospects.)

我wǒ跟gēn你nǐ分手fēnshǒu是shì為了wèile讓ràng你nǐ自由zìyóu我wǒ跟gēn你nǐ分手fēnshǒu是shì为了wèile让ràng你nǐ自由zìyóu
I broke up with you in order to set you free.

你nǐ半夜bànyè打dǎ電話diànhuà給gěi我wǒ只zhǐ是shì為了wèile問wèn我wǒ這zhè件jiàn事shì嗎ma？ 你nǐ半夜bànyè打dǎ电话diànhuà给gěi我wǒ只zhǐ是shì为了wèile问wèn我wǒ这zhè件jiàn事shì吗ma？ 🤬
Did you call me in the middle of the night just to ask me about this matter?
(It emphasizes the purpose or intention behind the action of making a late-night phone call. It questions if the sole purpose of the call was to inquire about a specific matter.)

Negation

我wǒ做zuò這個zhège網站wǎngzhàn不bú為了wèile賺錢zhuànqián我wǒ做zuò这个zhège网站wǎngzhàn不bú为了wèile挣钱zhèngqián
I do not do this site to make money.

我wǒ沒méi為了wèile錢qián， 就jiù去qù做zuò違法wéifǎ的de事shì我wǒ没méi为了wèile钱qián， 就jiù去qù做zuò违法wéifǎ的de事shì
I did not do illegal things in order to get money.

我wǒ做zuò這zhè些xiē事shì， 不bú為了wèile得dé到dào你的nǐde原諒yuánliàng， 只是zhǐshì想xiǎng補償bǔcháng我wǒ做zuò这zhè些xiē事shì， 不bú为了wèile得dé到dào你的nǐde原谅yuánliàng， 只是zhǐshì想xiǎng补偿bǔcháng
I do these things not to seek your forgiveness, but to make amends.

不要 + 為为了 + (aim/goal), do sth.

It is used to express a cautionary or advisory tone, suggesting not to take a certain action or engage in a particular behavior for the sake of a specific aim or goal.

你nǐ不要búyào為了wèile減肥jiǎnféi完全wánquán不bù吃飯chīfàn你nǐ不要búyào为了wèile减肥jiǎnféi完全wánquán不bù吃饭chīfàn
You do not have to skip meals in order to lose weight

不要búyào為了wèile成功chénggōng而ér放棄fàngqì夢想mèngxiǎng不要búyào为了wèile成功chénggōng而ér放弃fàngqì夢想mèngxiǎng
Don’t give up on your dreams for the sake of success.

不要búyào為了wèile結婚jiéhūn去qù結婚jiéhūn不要búyào为了wèile结婚jiéhūn去qù结婚jiéhūn
Don’t get married just because you want to get married.

FYI
In both China and Taiwan, there is often societal pressure regarding the age at which individuals should marry, leading to the popularity of blind dating or matchmaking events. Unlike in Western culture, these events typically involve 20 women and 20 men. It’s crazy, right? Each participant is given a card to write down their basic information. The men then hand their cards to the women seated opposite them and have 3 minutes to introduce themselves. After 3 minutes, a bell rings, and the men move to the next chair to repeat the process with a new woman. To be honest, it can be exhausting for men to repeat their introduction 20 times, and for women, it becomes challenging to match the right information with the correct guy after hearing so many introductions. Let me share a secret with you: in the end, they often end up choosing a person based on their physical appearance.

為为 wèi vs 為为了 wèile

為为 wèi + Sth or Sb + V or SV

1. To express the reason or motivation behind an action.
2. To emphasize someone or something that typically benefits from an action.

讓ràng我們wǒmen一起yìqǐ為wèi留學liúxué生活shēnghuó做zuò準備zhǔnbèi让ràng我们wǒmen一起yìqǐ为wèi留学liúxué生活shēnghuó做zuò准备zhǔnbèi
Let’s prepare for the study abroad life together.

媽媽māma為wèi我wǒ做zuò了le很hěn多duō菜cài妈妈māma为wèi我wǒ做zuò了le很hěn多duō菜cài
My mother cooked a lot of dishes for me.

為为了 wèile ＋ aim/goal

It is a conjunction that used to express the purpose or intention behind an action. It indicates that an action is done with a specific goal in mind.

為了wèile媽媽māma的de健康jiànkāng我wǒ開始kāishǐ學xué做zuò菜cài为了wèile妈妈māma的de健康jiànkāng我wǒ开始kāishǐ学xué做zuò菜cài
For the health of my mother I began to learn to cook

為了wèile學xué中文zhōngwén， 我wǒ決定juédìng去qù台灣Táiwān为了wèile学xué中文zhōngwén， 我wǒ决定juédìng去qù台湾Táiwān
In order to learn Chinese, I decided to go to Taiwan.

Sometimes 為为了 wèile is 為为 wèi + 了 le

Chinese learners often get confused with the usage of 為为 wèi and 為为了 wèile, particularly when 為为 wèi is followed by 了₁ le indicating completion of an action.

去年qùnián我的wǒde身體shēntǐ很hěn不好bùhǎo， 所以suǒyǐ媽媽māma為wèi了le我wǒ， 做zuò了le很hěn多duō菜cài去年qùnián我的wǒde身体shēntǐ很hěn不好bùhǎo， 所以suǒyǐ妈妈māma为wèi了le我wǒ， 做zuò了le很hěn多duō菜cài
Last year I was not healthy, so my mother cooked a lot of dishes for me.

你nǐ為wèi了le你的nǐde女朋友nǚpéngyǒu做zuò了le那麼nàme多duō事shì， 她tā都dōu知道zhīdào嗎ma？ 你nǐ为wèi了le你的nǐde女朋友nǚpéngyou做zuò了le那么nàme多duō事shì， 她tā都dōu知道zhīdào吗ma？
You’ve done so much for your girlfriend, but does she know about it?

• 為为 wèi 1 (HSK 2)

• 為为 wèi 2 (HSK 3)

• 為为 wèi and 為为了 wèile Practice

• “In order to” in Chinese 2 – 為为的是 wèideshì and 為为 wèi… 而 ér (HSK 5)