送给 vs. 给

[AlexanderH]

#1.

I'm having some trouble deciphering the difference in usage between 送给 and 给. The text in my Chinese book gave me this sentence as part of a larger dialogue:

这是送给你的生日礼物。 This is a birthday present for you.

Can you say 这是给你的生日礼物 ? In this instance I am using 给你 in the sense of "for you", 给你, 给你, 给你, handing out presents or something.

Also -- Can you re-arrange the sentence to say 这是一个生日礼物给你。 ? Or would that be improper grammatically in Chinese?

#2. 下课了

I don't really understand how to use 下 in this context. What exactly does it mean? Done with class? How could you use this in another situation?

#3. Colloquial usage of 舞会

Do people in their early 20's in colleges and universities use 舞会 to indicate going to a party? Or is this just an overly formal term that rarely comes up in speech?

Thank you

[Wang Yao]

I'm no expert, but I think I may be able to help a little:

送给 gives me the impression that the gift is something that was sent to the person in question (give that 送 is also in the word 发送), so I think, to me, this word is more like "I sent you a present for your birthday" (ie. through the mail or otherwise). I'm not 100% sure, though, especially if your textbook says other wise.

The third sentence doesn't seem too bad, I have seen a friend use 给你 at the end of a sentence like that, but I would ask a native speaker for clarification.

下课 is, yeah you got it, going out of class / leaving class / class is out kind of thing. Think of it in terms of 上课 (to attend class), it's the opposite of that sort of.

I've never seen 舞会 used myself, so no idea. D: Sorry.

[renzhe]

Can you say 这是给你的生日礼物 ? In this instance I am using 给你 in the sense of "for you", 给你, 给你, 给你, handing out presents or something.

You can say it, but do note that 给 is still a verb in this sentence. If you use 给 to indicate indirect object (like the recepient), then you need another verb, such as 给你打电话.

In this case, 送给 is the best option, because you typically use it for presents.

I don't really understand how to use 下 in this context. What exactly does it mean?

上课 = start class, 下课 = finish class

You can use it with some other nouns indicating some sort of work or activity, such as 上班/下班.

上 and 下 are verbs in this case.

Do people in their early 20's in colleges and universities use 舞会 to indicate going to a party?

I've never heard it in that context, but I'd defer this to native speakers or people who live in China.

In either case, either 聚会 or 晚会 should be more appropriate.

[aristotle1990]

About the 舞会 question, it's mostly used for more formal balls and dances. I think the best translation for "party" (when it's used to mean drinking and going to bars and clubs) is 派对, but I'm not too sure -- Chinese people don't really do that stuff as often as Westerners do

Okay, just asked a Chinese person about this -- on these types of occasions they'll either say "party" or 派对 (which is just a transliteration of the English anyway).

[dumdumdum]

#1, 送 here indicate a gift, FOC, something specially for the birthday guy. 发送 or 派送 would mean 'delivery', different meaning to the single word 送. that meaning is not in use here.

送 also has the meaning of walking someone to some place.

我送你回家 = let me take/drive you to your place.

送你到门口 = walk you to the door/gate.

送你去车站/机场 = walk you to the staion/airport.

but these are not the meaning when presenting a gift.

use the sentence without 送 is ok when presenting a gift. sounds a little less affectionate though.

#2, in this case 上 implies taking up a responsibility or a job, 下 implies relief of duties. other similar usage would be, 轮到你上（场）, imagine a team competition and it is your turn to go 'up' against the opponent (in the field). in kung-fu movies the baddie boss would order his lackeys to '上', a one-word command, ordering them to attack the hero.

#3 舞会 is the proper term and sounds formal. imaging guys in tux and ladies in dress. 派对 is a phonetic translation or 'party', very informal, and please dont use that for Chinese Communist Party, 中国共产派对 would be a bad joke. i myself rarely use this and would never put it down in official document. neutral terms would be 晚会, that would suggest an evening party. or 茶会, afternoon tea/tea dance.

[889]

Ok, we know what 送 means. But what about FOC?

[SiMaKe]

Free of charge (FOC).

[skylee]

Also -- Can you re-arrange the sentence to say 这是一个生日礼物给你。 ?

I don't think so.

[dumdumdum]

Also -- Can you re-arrange the sentence to say 这是一个生日礼物给你。 ?

nope that would imply the gift is the subject or the one delivering an action, to give. a gift cannot do that on its own. not logical.

[anonymoose]

给 on its own can be a verb meaning to give, but is frequently used in conjunction with other verbs to provide the notion of handing over or doing something for somebody.

So in your example, 送 means to give as a present, and 给 emphasises the handing over.

There are countless other examples of verb + 给. Here are a few I can think of off the top of my head:

卖给 sell to someone

唱给(某人听) sing to someone

交给 hand over to someone

委托给 entrust to someone

[KonW]

these are grammatically correct in case you're wondering how to arrange it:

这个生日礼物是给你的

这有一个生日礼物给你

这个生日礼物给你

[Shi Tong]

I agree with anonymoose here- 送 very clearly means to completely give something to someone, or almost a form of complete deliverance or handing over.. while 给 indicates that it could be taken back or it's a matter of less substance- for example- to TAKE someone home (我送你回家) they use 送 because it's a definate act of deliverance, whereas giving someone a look at a book (not actually giving the book as a gift) is said as 给你看.. to give someone a look.

It's similar in intensity as things like "想" and "要", with the first being want, but it's a little less substantial an act than the latter which indicates a definate action- like "wanting" to go, and actually GOING to do it (I want to go to the shops/ I am going to the shops).

[Rosebelle]

Come to think of it, my friends would say 送给 to me when they give me a gift whereas when something is not a gift, they say 给. I think the difference lies in the intention of the thing given. If it's intended as a gift, you say 送给.

When you're getting off work, you say 下班. When you're finished with a class you say 下课.

As for 舞会, I see it more in writing than in conversational speech. If you say it, people will understand you of course. It's just sounds more proper.