以…为…
to take A as B; with A as B
Structure
以 A 为 B
What it means
“To take A as B”, “with A as B”: a set frame for saying what something is based on, centred on, bounded by or mainly made of.
How it is built
以 + A + 为 + B: 南北以秦岭—淮河一线为界 (North and south are divided at the Qinling–Huai line). Fixed frames: 以…为主 mainly, 以…为例 take … as an example, 以…为中心, 以…为目标.
When to use it
More written than 把…当作. 以…为主 is the most common: 北方人以面食为主，南方人以米饭为主 (Northerners mainly eat wheat; southerners mainly eat rice).
Watch out
Here 为 is read wéi, “to be, to act as”, not wèi “for”. Keep both parts of the frame: ✗ 北方人以面食主。 ✓ 北方人以面食为主。
Examples
南北以秦岭—淮河一线为界。
North and south are divided at the Qinling–Huai line.
北方人以面食为主，南方人以米饭为主。
Northerners mainly eat wheat; southerners mainly eat rice.
Learn this in Lesson 2 · HSK 5: 南方与北方 (North and south)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
Open the lesson →