# 从大老远的地方赶来，还不是为你！



## xiaolijie

从大老远的地方赶来，*还不是为你！* 
I came across the sentence without a context, so I can't be sure how to translate "还不是为你". Does it mean the same as, or the opposite of, the sentence below?
从大老远的地方赶来，*都是为你的！* 
(I occasionally come across in Chinese negative sentences with positive meaning, and that is the reason for me being unsure of this case)

Thank you!


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## xiaoyan

从大老远的地方赶来，*还不是为你！*means 从大老远的地方赶来, 就是为（了）你！or like you said, 都是为（了）你！

But I think you can't say 都是为你的。

Hope this helps.


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## xiaolijie

Thank you, xiaoyan! That is what I wanted to know.


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## xiaolijie

Looking further into "*还不是*" being used *in the positive sense*, I've found some more examples from a song lyrics:

还不是因为爱.我的脸庞突然就红起来 
还不是因为爱,才把你的心事用力猜 
还不是因为爱,话到嘴边我也没说出来 
还不是因为爱,我才变得就算自已,也觉得奇怪 

So it seems the usage is quite common. But can someone please explain why or how the negative "*还不是*" has come to be understood as positive in this way??


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## Ghabi

You see it's like a rhetorical question, although we don't use the question mark. "Isn't it for love's sake that I blush?" Try to replace 还 with 难道 and you can get the meaning, I think.


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## xiaolijie

Good explanation Ghabi! 
Much appreciated.


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## BODYholic

xiaolijie said:


> 从大老远的地方赶来，*还不是为你！*
> 
> 从大老远的地方赶来，*都是为你的！*




从字面上来说，两者都大同小异。但也许是习惯性，前者一般略带弦外之音。

从大老远的地方赶来，*还不是为(了)你！* (要不然八人大轿抬我，我都不来。)


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## xiaolijie

> 从大老远的地方赶来，*还不是为(了)你！* (要不然八人大轿抬我，我都不来。)


Thank you BODYholic, I'm clear of the extra meaning now. It's something like "_It's all for *you*/ It's all because of *you*, or I wouldn't make such an affort_", isn't it?

By the way "*都是为你的!*" was deemed to be not good by post #2. I kind of understand the reason (the unnecessary *的* in it?) but just in case I'm wrong, please see if the following alternatives are ok now:
"*都是为你!*" 
"*都是为了见你的!*" (I'm doubtful of this but just try to see if *的 *can still be used with it.)


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## BODYholic

xiaolijie said:


> please see if the following alternatives are ok now:
> "*都是为你!*"
> "*都是为了见你的!*" (I'm doubtful of this but just try to see if *的 *can still be used with it.)



从大老远的地方赶来,*都是为(**了**)你!*
从大老远的地方赶来,*都是为了见你的!

*Both sentences sound fine to me.


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## xiaolijie

> 从大老远的地方赶来,*都是为(**了**)你!*
> 从大老远的地方赶来,*都是为了见你的!
> 
> *Both sentences sound fine to me.


Thank you, BODYholic! That is good news 
(But I still try to work out why "*都是为了见你的!*" is fine but "*都是为了你的!*" is not  )


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## Razzle Storm

xiaolijie said:


> Thank you, BODYholic! That is good news
> (But I still try to work out why "*都是为了见你的!*" is fine but "*都是为了你的!*" is not  )



I think it might have to do with the active verb in the former sentence, and the lack of an active verb in the latter, which, coupled with 为's unique meaning, turns the meaning into "all for your...(children, health, etc)"

But that is my rather rudimentary linguistic analysis. I would also love to hear a native speaker's thoughts.


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## xiaolijie

Razzle Storm said:
			
		

> I think it might have to do with the active verb in the former sentence, and the lack of an active verb in the latter


That is also my hypothesis, so let's try another pair of examples and hopefully native speakers will give us a verdict:

*他们那样做是为了人类的和平。*
*他们那样做是为了保护和平的。*
Are these two sentences ok? If not, please correct.

非常感谢!


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## Jerry Chan

从大老远的地方赶来,*都是为了见你的!
**他们那样做是为了保护和平的。

Can't say it's wrong, but I really would delete 的 in both sentences.
*


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## xiaolijie

> *Can't say it's wrong, but I really would delete 的 in both sentences.*


Thank you Jerry. That is useful to know.
But could you (or anyone) please see if the modified sentences below are still sounding natural with in *的* them:

他是为了见你赶来的。
这是为和平而建立的。


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## Jerry Chan

xiaolijie said:


> Thank you Jerry. That is useful to know.
> But could you (or anyone) please see if the modified sentences below are still sounding natural with in *的* them:
> 
> 他是为了见你赶来的。
> 这是为和平而建立的。



We should have 的 in both sentences.

他   -  是  -   (为了见你赶来)的。
Here  为了见你赶来 modifies 他, so 的 is needed.

他赶来, 是为了见你的。
Here  是为了 is the conjunction to state the reason, so no 的 is needed.

Hope this helps.


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## xiaolijie

Thank you Jerry! I think I'm heading somewhere (or trying to )


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## BODYholic

Hi xiaolijie,

This is going to be long. I hope you bear with me. 



xiaolijie said:


> Thank you, BODYholic! That is good news
> (But I still try to work out why "*都是为了见你的!*" is fine but "*都是为了你的!*" is not  )



I agreed with Razzle Storm. I believe it has something to do with the verb; '*见*' for this case.



Razzle Storm said:


> I think it might have to do with the active  verb in the former sentence, and the lack of an active verb in the  latter, which, coupled with 为's unique meaning, turns the meaning into  "all for your...(children, health, etc)"
> 
> But that is my rather rudimentary linguistic analysis. I would also love to hear a native speaker's thoughts.



There is something I did not mention previously when I read '*都是为了你的!*'. I've to read the phrase twice in order to catch it. Initially, I mistook it as '*都是为了*' + '*你的*'. I paused, literary, for a second to think '*你的谁*?'.

I guess this confusion only arises when reading. In daily conversation, you will see that the '*的*' is pronounced very softly. Hence, it is unlikely the other party will ever get confused.



Jerry Chan said:


> 从大老远的地方赶来,*都是为了见你的!**
> 
> Can't say it's wrong, but I really would delete 的 in both sentences.
> *



I'm also with Jerry on this. Given a choice, I would have omitted the '*的*' but I definitely can not say it's wrong if one uses it. You can rest assured that no native speakers will raise an eyebrow if you choose to include it.


***************************************
There are 2 points I like to add,


Common usage of *"为了"*
    * 为了+动词+名词/代名词。(eg 都是为了 + 见 + 你的!)
    * 为了+名词/代名词+动词。 (eg 都是为了 + 你 + 我才会翘课的！) -> This probably explains why your concerned phrase is not so idiomatic.
From your post #1 还不是为你！/ 都是为你的！- I'm not sure if you take notice of the "*了*" I inserted after "*为*" in all my examples. I actually find the omission more glaring than the presence of "的".


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## xiaolijie

> This is going to be long. I hope you bear with me.


Just as well. I've got the whole of a Christmas break for it


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## lijingfeng

难道不是为了你吗？
竟然是为了你。


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