On the basis of / at the cost of (以…为基础/代价)

Structure 以 + A + 为 + 基础/前提/依据/代价

These are fixed, abstract collocations of the 以…为… frame (HSK 5, 以…为…), where 为 reads wéi (second tone). The second slot is no longer free but a set, learned word: 以…为基础 ("on the basis of"), 以…为前提 ("with… as a precondition"), 以…为依据 ("taking… as the grounds"), 以…为代价 ("at the cost of…"). 以事实为依据 = "on the basis of the facts"; 以牺牲健康为代价 = "at the cost of sacrificing one's health". They are written-register formulas, very common in law, politics and essays.

Examples

法fǎ院yuàn判pàn案àn必bì须xū以yǐ事shì实shí为wéi依yī据jù。
In ruling on a case, the court must take the facts as its basis.
我wǒ们men不bù能néng以yǐ牺xī牲shēng健jiàn康kāng为wéi代dài价jià去qù赚zhuàn钱qián。
We cannot earn money at the cost of sacrificing our health.
这zhè项xiàng合hé作zuò以yǐ互hù信xìn为wéi前qián提tí。
This cooperation has mutual trust as its precondition.
经jīng济jì发fā展zhǎn应yīng以yǐ保bǎo护hù环huán境jìng为wéi基jī础chǔ。
Economic development should be built on the basis of protecting the environment.

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