The bǎ (把) construction is a device which uses the preposition bǎ (把) to move a definite-referenced object to a position before the main verb. In a less colloquial and more formal style, jiāng (將) may be used in the place of bǎ (把). The basic sentence structure in mandarin is formed in a SVO (subject-verb-object) word order, but a bǎ (把) sentence employs a different word order, as schematized in the following :
(Subject) + bǎ (把) /jiāng (將)+ Object + verb phrase
他把/將手機放進了書包裡。
tā bǎ /jiāng shǒu jī fàng jìn le shū bāo lǐ.
He put his phone in the schoolbag.
把/將他請過來吧。
bǎ /jiāng tā qǐng guò lái ba.
Bring him over.
This structure expresses the influence of an action upon the object. In imperative sentences, the subject is often omitted. Compared with jiāng (將), bǎ (把) sometimes is more emphatical in mood and tone under specific contexts. Therefore, jiāng (將) is used more when the style is formal.
風太大了,快把門關上!
fēng tài dà le, kuài bǎ mén guān shàng!
The wind is too strong, close the door quickly!
公司決定將一半的股份賣掉。
gōng sī jué dìng jiāng yī bàn de gǔ fèn mài diào.
The company decided to sell half of its shares.
As a preposition, jiāng (將) also expresses the meaning “with” in some idioms.
將心比心
jiāng xīn bǐ xīn
Feel for others.
恩將仇報
ēn jiāng chóu bào
bite the hand that feeds one.
Reference:
Yip Po-Ching, Don Rimmington - Chinese_ A Comprehensive Grammar-Routledge (2003)
