给 (gěi) is where English "give," "to," and "for" all collapse into one Chinese word — and the trick to using it well is realising that Chinese keeps them apart by position, not by choosing a different word. When 给 is the main verb, it takes two objects (recipient, then thing). When it sits before another verb, it's the benefactive "to / for." When it clings after a verb, it's a complement marking that something transferred to a destination. Same character, three slots. Learn to read the slot and 给 becomes easy.
Sense 1: give (double-object verb)
As a full verb, 给 is the model double-object verb: the recipient (indirect object) comes first, the thing given (direct object) second — 给 + 人 + 物.
老师给了我们很多作业。
lǎoshī gěi le wǒmen hěn duō zuòyè
The teacher gave us a lot of homework.
请给我一杯水，谢谢。
qǐng gěi wǒ yì bēi shuǐ, xièxie
Please give me a glass of water, thanks.
他给了我一个特别好的建议。
tā gěi le wǒ yí ge tèbié hǎo de jiànyì
He gave me a really great piece of advice.
Sense 2: to / for (benefactive coverb)
Put 给 + person before the main verb and it marks who benefits from, or receives, the action — English "to" or "for." This is the sense behind 给你打电话 "call you," 给妈妈做饭 "cook for mum," 给我看看 "show me."
我一到家就给你打电话。
wǒ yí dào jiā jiù gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà
I'll call you as soon as I get home.
妈妈每天早上给我们做早饭。
māma měi tiān zǎoshang gěi wǒmen zuò zǎofàn
Mom makes us breakfast every morning.
来，我给你介绍一下我的同事。
lái, wǒ gěi nǐ jièshào yíxià wǒ de tóngshì
Come, let me introduce my colleague to you.
Sense 3: to (transfer complement)
Stuck after a verb of moving/handing, 给 marks the destination of the transfer: 送给 "give (as a gift) to," 交给 "hand in to," 卖给 "sell to," 还给 "return to," 递给 "pass to."
请把这封信交给王老师。
qǐng bǎ zhè fēng xìn jiāo gěi Wáng lǎoshī
Please hand this letter to Teacher Wang.
我把生日礼物送给了她。
wǒ bǎ shēngri lǐwù sòng gěi le tā
I gave her the birthday present.
房子最后卖给了一对年轻夫妇。
fángzi zuìhòu mài gěi le yí duì niánqīng fūfù
The house was finally sold to a young couple.
Sense 4: the colloquial "passive" 给
In casual speech, an extra 给 often gets dropped in right before the verb in a 被/叫/让 passive, adding a flavour of "went and got…-ed." It carries no new meaning — you can delete it — but you'll hear it constantly.
我的自行车被人给偷了。
wǒ de zìxíngchē bèi rén gěi tōu le
My bike got stolen (by someone).
杯子叫他给打碎了。
bēizi jiào tā gěi dǎsuì le
The cup got broken by him.
Key collocations
| Phrase | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 给……打电话 | gěi… dǎ diànhuà | call sb |
| 给……做饭 | gěi… zuò fàn | cook for sb |
| 给……写信 | gěi… xiě xìn | write to sb |
| 给……介绍 | gěi… jièshào | introduce to sb |
| 送给 | sòng gěi | give (as a gift) to |
| 交给 | jiāo gěi | hand over / in to |
| 卖给 | mài gěi | sell to |
| 借给 | jiè gěi | lend to |
| 还给 | huán gěi | return / give back to |
| 递给 | dì gěi | pass / hand to |
Grammar notes
In the double-object frame, the order is fixed: recipient before thing (给我一本书), the reverse of what an English "give a book to me" reordering might tempt you into — see the double-object verbs page. As a benefactive coverb, 给 joins the family of directed-action markers; its full range and the fuzzy border with 为 (wèi) "for the sake of" are on the 给 "to / for" page. The redundant passive 给 belongs to the colloquial 把…给 / 被…给 pattern.
Watch the border with 送 (sòng): plain "hand over" is 给, but "give as a present" is 送 (送给 combines both), and "see someone off" is 送 only. And don't confuse the transfer-verb 交 (jiāo) "hand in" with the homograph in 教 (jiāo) "teach". The wider set of giving verbs is mapped on the giving verbs page.
Common Mistakes
1. Dropping 给 before the recipient of a call/letter/gift. 打电话, 写信, 买 need 给 to name the person.
❌ 我晚上打电话你。
Incorrect — the person called must be marked by 给 before the verb.
✅ 我晚上给你打电话。
wǒ wǎnshang gěi nǐ dǎ diànhuà
I'll call you tonight.
2. Reversing the two objects. Recipient comes first, thing second.
❌ 请给一本书我。
Incorrect — the recipient (我) must precede the thing given.
✅ 请给我一本书。
qǐng gěi wǒ yì běn shū
Please give me a book.
3. Using 对 for a handed-over action. Attitude toward someone is 对; transferring/directing an action to them is 给.
❌ 我对你写一封信。
Incorrect — writing a letter to someone is directed transfer: use 给, not 对.
✅ 我给你写一封信。
wǒ gěi nǐ xiě yì fēng xìn
I'll write you a letter.
4. Omitting 给 in a transfer complement. "Hand in to the teacher" needs 交给, not bare 交.
❌ 请把作业交老师。
Incorrect — the destination of the transfer needs 给: 交给老师.
✅ 请把作业交给老师。
qǐng bǎ zuòyè jiāo gěi lǎoshī
Please hand the homework in to the teacher.
Key Takeaways
- One word 给 covers give / to / for — Chinese distinguishes them by position, not by a different word.
- Verb: recipient before thing (给我一本书). Coverb: 给 + person before the verb (给你打电话). Complement: verb + 给 for transfer (交给, 送给, 卖给).
- The colloquial passive 给 (被…给偷了) adds flavour only and can be dropped.
- 给 = plain hand-over; 送 = give as a gift / see off. Attitude "to" = 对, transfer "to" = 给.
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- 送 (sòng) — give (a gift) / see off / deliverHSK 2 — 送 (sòng) is a warmer, more specific 'give': present something as a gift (送礼物), see someone off or walk them somewhere (送你回家), or deliver goods (送外卖). Plain hand-over — 'pass me the salt' — is 给, not 送.
- 教 (jiāo) — to teachHSK 2 — 教 (jiāo, first tone) means 'to teach' and takes two objects with no preposition — learner first, subject second: 教我们中文 'teach us Chinese'. Beware the tone: the noun-forming reading 教 (jiào) shows up in 教育, 教师, 宗教.
- 给 (gěi): To / For (Recipient)HSK 1 — As a coverb, 给 (gěi) sits before the main verb to mark who receives or benefits from an action: 给你打电话 (call you), 给妈妈做饭 (cook for mom), 给大家介绍一下 (introduce it to everyone). The 给-phrase comes first — Chinese does not tack 'to you' onto the end.