<p>I think “为” is misused here. It could be clearer if remove 为 or replace it with "而". The meaning is just what @AurusHuang provided.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-22T02:01:20.207Z
I second that this sentence is ill-formed.
Ma Ming
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-29T06:27:02.840Z
"以人的主观意志为转移" has become an idiom, commonly seen in the translated works of dialectical materialism. We can't say it's ill-formed today.
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-15T04:35:15.200Z
Whether it becomes an idiom or not, it doesn't fix the fact that "为" is misused here. When we try to explain the meaning of the sentence, it would be much better by removing the "为" to understand the meaning.
thinwa
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-21T09:32:21.417Z
2016-04-15T04:35:51.623Z
2016-04-15T04:35:51.623Z
thinwa
<p>Here 以A为B is to be taken as "to do B by means of A". (I take 为 to be the same as in 为了 here)</p>

<p>And I think you translated it just fine.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-21T08:27:32.693Z
2016-03-21T08:27:32.693Z
vermillon
<p>I have a slightly different version of translation:  </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The existence of God is objective, which can't be changed by people's will. </p>
</blockquote>

<p>Although “以……为” has existed in Chinese language for milleniums, its meaning differs as the language evolves. Specifically, in your example, “以A为B” can be explained as "B happens for the reason of A". However, this is quite a unique usage that doesn't coincide the common rule. Most of the time, this structure means "regard A as B" or "see A as B". </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-21T02:56:29.793Z
2016-03-21T02:56:29.793Z
Winfred Huang
<p>about the usage of 以﹒為﹒, have a look of <a href="http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cbdic/search.htm" rel="nofollow">國語辭典</a> (in traditional chinese)</p>

<p>the basic is 以 a 為 b (^以.為), e.g.: <a href="http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&amp;searchid=Z00000150743" rel="nofollow">以退為進</a></p>

<p>roughly: by means of (以) retreat (退), for the purpose of (為) promotion (進).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-04-15T06:02:03.467Z
2016-04-15T08:11:33.653Z
2016-04-15T08:11:33.653Z
水巷孑蠻
<p>I read this sentence in the book <em>游子吟</em>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>神的存在是一个不以人们的主观意志为转移的客观事实</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I'm unclear about what "以" and "为" are doing here. I Googled to see if "以...为" is a common construct; <a href="http://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Using_%22yi...wei%22" rel="nofollow">this page</a> says that you can say "以 A 为 B", which means "use/take A as B".</p>

<p>Assuming this sentence is using the same construct, then A would be 人们的主观意志 ("man's subjective will") and B is "转移", right? However, the page I linked to seems to indicate that A and B must be nouns. I looked up "转移" and the main definitions are almost all verbs. Google Translate tells me that it can also mean "metastasis", but that's a medical term, so I'm not sure if that's the correct translation.</p>

<p>My current best attempt at a translation is:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The existence of God is an objective fact, which we can't use man's subjective will to change.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Is this sentence using "以...为"? If so, am I correctly identifying A and B? And if so, does that mean B can also be a verb? Or is my understanding completely off?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-03-21T17:21:55.863Z
The meaning of that sentense is (not translating word by word): God exists, and that's the truth. The truth doesn't change even if people don't believe it.
Shawn
<grammar><sentence-structure>
Does 神的存在是一个不以人们的主观意志为转移的客观事实 use the 以...为 grammar construct?
# Does 神的存在是一个不以人们的主观意志为转移的客观事实 use the 以...为 grammar construct?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-03-21)

I read this sentence in the book *游子吟*:

> 神的存在是一个不以人们的主观意志为转移的客观事实

I'm unclear about what "以" and "为" are doing here. I Googled to see if "以...为" is a common construct; [this page](http://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Using_%22yi...wei%22) says that you can say "以 A 为 B", which means "use/take A as B".

Assuming this sentence is using the same construct, then A would be 人们的主观意志 ("man's subjective will") and B is "转移", right? However, the page I linked to seems to indicate that A and B must be nouns. I looked up "转移" and the main definitions are almost all verbs. Google Translate tells me that it can also mean "metastasis", but that's a medical term, so I'm not sure if that's the correct translation.

My current best attempt at a translation is:

> The existence of God is an objective fact, which we can't use man's subjective will to change.

Is this sentence using "以...为"? If so, am I correctly identifying A and B? And if so, does that mean B can also be a verb? Or is my understanding completely off?

**Tags:** grammar, sentence-structure

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The meaning of that sentense is (not translating word by word): God exists, and that's the truth. The truth doesn't change even if people don't believe it.  

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## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-03-21. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

I think “为” is misused here. It could be clearer if remove 为 or replace it with "而". The meaning is just what @AurusHuang provided.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: I second that this sentence is ill-formed.  
> **username_4**: "以人的主观意志为转移" has become an idiom, commonly seen in the translated works of dialectical materialism. We can't say it's ill-formed today.  
> **username_2**: Whether it becomes an idiom or not, it doesn't fix the fact that "为" is misused here. When we try to explain the meaning of the sentence, it would be much better by removing the "为" to understand the meaning.  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2016-03-21. Score: 0

Here 以A为B is to be taken as "to do B by means of A". (I take 为 to be the same as in 为了 here)

And I think you translated it just fine.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2016-03-21. Score: 0

I have a slightly different version of translation:

> The existence of God is objective, which can't be changed by people's will.

Although “以……为” has existed in Chinese language for milleniums, its meaning differs as the language evolves. Specifically, in your example, “以A为B” can be explained as "B happens for the reason of A". However, this is quite a unique usage that doesn't coincide the common rule. Most of the time, this structure means "regard A as B" or "see A as B".


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### Answer by username_7 on 2016-04-15. Score: 0

about the usage of 以﹒為﹒, have a look of [國語辭典](http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cbdic/search.htm) (in traditional chinese)

the basic is 以 a 為 b (^以.為), e.g.: [以退為進](http://dict.revised.moe.edu.tw/cgi-bin/cbdic/gsweb.cgi?o=dcbdic&searchid=Z00000150743)

roughly: by means of (以) retreat (退), for the purpose of (為) promotion (進).


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