For the sake of… (为…而…)

Structure 为 + goal/cause + 而 + verb

为…而… (wèi… ér…) fronts the goal or cause one acts for and links it to the verb with 而: 为理想而奋斗 = "to struggle for the sake of an ideal". It is a solemn frame, very common in slogans, the press and literary prose, that foregrounds the purpose. Here 为 reads "wèi" (cause/purpose); when it expresses feeling toward something, that something can be condensed into 之: 为之动容 = "to be moved by it". Everyday speech would just use 为了…，… without 而.

Examples

无wú数shù先xiān辈bèi为wèi理lǐ想xiǎng而ér奋fèn斗dòu。
Countless forebears struggled for the sake of an ideal.
他tā们men为wèi祖zǔ国guó的de繁fán荣róng而ér努nǔ力lì。
They strive for the prosperity of the homeland.
听tīng到dào这zhè个ge故gù事shi，在zài场chǎng的de人rén无wú不bù为wèi之zhī动dòng容róng。
On hearing this story, everyone present was moved by it.
我wǒ们men不bù应yīng只zhǐ为wèi眼yǎn前qián的de利lì益yì而ér放fàng弃qì原yuán则zé。
We should not abandon our principles merely for the sake of immediate gain.

This point and the other 370, with audio on every example, inside Wanyu.

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