# Using 当着 and 就 as Prepositions in Chinese (HSK 7-9 Grammar) | HSKReady Canonical: https://hskready.app/en/grammar/hsk-7-9-prepositions-96c077a01f Language: en Content ID: web-grammar-hsk-7-9-prepositions-96c077a01f HSK levels: 7-9 Updated: 2026-10-23T04:57:55.175Z Scope: published website educational content; full vocabulary, question bank and mock exams remain in the app. Learn how to use the Chinese prepositions 当着 (in the presence of) and 就 (regarding/concerning) to introduce witnesses, topics, and scopes at the HSK 7-9 level. Grammar [HSK 7-9 · Word classes › Prepositions › Introducing a target](https://hskready.app/en/grammar/hsk-7-9#hsk-7-9-g020) # Introducing Objects and Targets with 当着 and 就 (HSK 7-9) 当着 (dāngzhe) describes doing something in someone’s presence, while prepositional 就 (jiù) introduces what a discussion or judgment concerns. Compare 当着同学道歉, apologizing in front of classmates, with 就合作细节交换意见, exchanging views on cooperation details. Learn the difference in meaning without turning common word orders into absolute rules. 当着 person or group present 的面 action performed Example sentence 他当着全班同学的面道了歉。 Tā dāngzhe quán bān tóngxué de miàn dào le qiàn. He apologized in front of the whole class. Uses 当着...的面 with a human group witnessing the apology. A common mistake × 经理当着明天的预算方案发表了看法。 Jīnglǐ dāngzhe míngtiān de yùsuàn fāng'àn fābiǎo le kànfǎ. Intended: The manager expressed his views on tomorrow's budget plan. The intended meaning is regarding the budget plan, not in someone’s presence. Use 就 or 对 for this topic relation; the next example uses 就. Corrected example: 经理就明天的预算方案发表了看法。 **Read the full explanation and examples** ## Syllabus Scope and Core Distinction The supplied outline lists 当着 and 就6 among prepositions introducing an object or related participant. Here, object is a broad syllabus label: it does not mean a direct object after a transitive verb. 就6 identifies the relevant entry in that outline. The number is not pronounced and need not match the numbering of a separate dictionary. These words express different relations. 当着他谈这件事 places him in the situation as someone present; 就这件事谈谈 makes the matter the topic. A person, document, or object can also become the subject matter of a discussion, so the distinction is the intended relation, not simply whether the following noun is alive or abstract. ## Using 当着: In Someone’s Presence 当着 (dāngzhe) commonly means in someone’s presence. Learn 当着 as a whole preposition in these examples; do not mechanically change 着 to 了 or 过 as if marking a completed or experienced action. The related pattern 当他的面 is also possible. The existence of that pattern does not make every deletion of 着 appropriate. 当着 person or group present 的面 action performed 当着 person or group present action performed Both 当着他的面说 and 当着他说 can be natural. 的面 makes the presence relation explicit; its omission is not restricted to plural groups. Read 当着他 with the following predicate, rather than judging that short phrase in isolation. The right choice depends on the whole sentence and rhythm. 他当着全班同学的面道了歉。 Tā dāngzhe quán bān tóngxué de miàn dào le qiàn. He apologized in front of the whole class. Uses 当着...的面 with a human group witnessing the apology. 请不要当着外人议论家里的矛盾。 Qǐng bùyào dāngzhe wàirén yìlùn jiālǐ de máodùn. Please do not discuss family conflicts in front of outsiders. 外人 identifies who is present, not the topic of the family discussion. This sentence omits 的面; that option is not limited to plural nouns. In the main use taught here, 当着 introduces someone present: 当着老师 or 当着老师的面. It does not introduce what the speech is about. If the intended meaning is simply face to face, without naming that person, 当面 is a useful alternative. Expressions such as 当着镜头 extend the presence idea to speaking or acting before a camera. ## Using 就 (Sense 6): Regarding a Topic or Scope 就 (jiù) has several common uses. Here it is the preposition meaning regarding or with respect to. It can introduce the topic of a discussion or the scope of a judgment. This use is frequent in formal communication, but a short frame such as 就我来说 can also appear in conversation. 就 topic or issue verb of discussion or statement A common order is subject + 就 + topic + discussion verb, as in 双方就合作细节交换意见. In 专家们将就这一社会现象展开讨论, 将 precedes the 就 phrase. A topical 就 phrase can also come before the subject: 就这个问题，我们还需要进一步讨论. The topic need not itself be an abstract noun; what matters is that it is what the discussion concerns. 双方就合作细节交换了意见。 Shuāngfāng jiù hézuò xìjié jiāohuàn le yìjiàn. The two sides exchanged views on the details of the cooperation. Formal register; 就 introduces the abstract topic (合作细节) before the verb phrase. 专家们将就这一社会现象展开深入讨论。 Zhuānjiāmen jiāng jiù zhè yī shèhuì xiànxiàng zhǎnkāi shēnrù tǎolùn. Experts will hold an in-depth discussion regarding this social phenomenon. Notice the word order: auxiliary/adverb (将) precedes the prepositional phrase (就这一社会现象). 就 scope or aspect evaluated 而言 / 来说 就…而言 and 就…来说 frame a judgment as applying to a particular scope: 就目前的市场情况而言. This can appear at the beginning, but initial position is not compulsory: 这项投资，就目前的市场情况而言，风险偏高 is also possible. 就目前的市场情况而言，这项投资风险偏高。 Jiù mùqián de shìchǎng qíngkuàng éryán, zhè xiàng tóuzī fēngxiǎn piān gāo. As far as the current market situation is concerned, the risk of this investment is relatively high. Uses the frame 就...而言 at the start of the sentence to define the scope of evaluation. ## Useful Contrasts and Register - Register: 当着 is common in speech and narrative. Topic-introducing 就 is frequent in formal discussion, while frames such as 就我来说 also occur conversationally. - Meaning: 当着 identifies whose presence an action occurs in; 就 identifies what the discussion or evaluation concerns. - 对 can introduce the person or thing an attitude or action concerns. 当着 emphasizes presence; the action need not be directed at that person. - 关于 and 就 can both introduce a topic, and both may appear before the subject: 关于这个问题，我们讨论过; 就这个问题，我们讨论过. They are not interchangeable in every construction. Learn common whole phrases, including 关于…的说明 and 就…而言, rather than using sentence position as the sole test. ## Common Learner Error The manager’s intended topic below is the budget plan. 当着 does not introduce a topic in that way. 就 expresses regarding naturally here; 对明天的预算方案发表看法 is another possible wording. This is a mismatch in the relation being expressed, not proof that 当着 can never occur before any nonhuman referent. × 经理当着明天的预算方案发表了看法。 Jīnglǐ dāngzhe míngtiān de yùsuàn fāng'àn fābiǎo le kànfǎ. Intended: The manager expressed his views on tomorrow's budget plan. The intended meaning is regarding the budget plan, not in someone’s presence. Use 就 or 对 for this topic relation; the next example uses 就. Corrected example: 经理就明天的预算方案发表了看法。 经理就明天的预算方案发表了看法。 Jīnglǐ jiù míngtiān de yùsuàn fāng'àn fābiǎo le kànfǎ. The manager expressed his views on tomorrow's budget plan. Correct replacement for “经理当着明天的预算方案发表了看法。”: 就 properly introduces the abstract topic of 发表了看法. ## Frequently asked questions **What does the number 6 after 就 mean in the HSK 7-9 syllabus?** It identifies this use in the supplied outline: 就 as a preposition introducing what a statement or discussion concerns. Do not pronounce the number. A dictionary may organize and number its senses differently; the number alone does not define the word’s other uses. **Can I always drop 的面 after 当着?** Not as a mechanical deletion rule, but 当着他 is not inherently incomplete. 当着他把话说清楚 and 当着他的面把话说清楚 can both be natural. Decide from the complete sentence, rhythm, and intended emphasis; singular versus plural is not a hard dividing line. **Can a bare 就 phrase without 而言 or 来说 start a sentence before the subject?** Yes. 就这个问题，我们还需要进一步讨论 is natural without 而言 or 来说. The phrase sets a topic before the subject. Another common order is 我们就这个问题讨论过. Choose the order that fits the flow of information. **Source**[hsk.cn-bj.ufileos.com · PDF page 403](https://hsk.cn-bj.ufileos.com/3.0/%E6%96%B0%E7%89%88HSK%E8%80%83%E8%AF%95%E5%A4%A7%E7%BA%B21219.pdf#page=403) ## Continue in the app Full mock exams are available in HSKReady. [![Download on the App Store](https://hskready.app/download-on-app-store-black.svg)Download on the App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id6791916440?l=en)[![Get it on Google Play](https://hskready.app/get-it-on-google-play.svg)Get it on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.curiolab.hskready&hl=en) [HSKReady App](https://hskready.app/en/app)