于: Formal Time and Location in Chinese
于
于 is a formal preposition introducing a time or location, commonly after verbs such as 出生, 生活, 成立, or 位于. Unlike most colloquial prepositional phrases, the 于 phrase often follows the verb it complements. 于 cannot take aspect particles or appear without a following time or place expression. Its position depends on the formal verb and the relation introduced.
Published July 23, 2026
Reviewed July 23, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Subject + Verb + 于 + Time / Place
Read the structure
于 is a formal preposition introducing a time or location, commonly after verbs such as 出生, 生活, 成立, or 位于. Unlike most colloquial prepositional phrases, the 于 phrase often follows the verb it complements. 于 cannot take aspect particles or appear without a following time or place expression. Its position depends on the formal verb and the relation introduced. Keep the model Subject + Verb + 于 + Time / Place visible while you compare each sentence.
他出生于1995年。
He was born in 1995.
Choose the right context
State a birth or founding date formally. State where something is located or occurs in formal writing. Use in biographies, notices, and reports.
大熊猫主要生活于中国西南地区。
Giant pandas mainly live in southwestern China.
Respect the boundary
Do not attach 了 to 于. Do not omit the time or place after 于. Do not assume all prepositions share this post-verbal position.
他出生于了1995年。
(He was born at-le 1995.)
Repair the pattern
了 is attached to the preposition: 于 introduces the time expression and cannot take the aspect particle 了. The preposition lacks an object: 于 must introduce a complete time or location expression.
他出生于1995年。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
他出生于1995年。
He was born in 1995.
他
Subject
This part occupies the Subject position in the model pattern.
出生
Verb
This part occupies the Verb position in the model pattern.
于
于
This part occupies the 于 position in the model pattern.
1995
Time / Place
This part occupies the Time / Place position in the model pattern.
年
Subject
This part occupies the Subject position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
他出生于1995年。
He was born in 1995.
大熊猫主要生活于中国西南地区。
Giant pandas mainly live in southwestern China.
本公司成立于2010年。
This company was founded in 2010.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- State a birth or founding date formally.
- State where something is located or occurs in formal writing.
- Use in biographies, notices, and reports.
Do not use it when
- Do not attach 了 to 于.
- Do not omit the time or place after 于.
- Do not assume all prepositions share this post-verbal position.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
他出生于了1995年。
他出生于1995年。
了 is attached to the preposition
于 introduces the time expression and cannot take the aspect particle 了.
本公司成立于。
本公司成立于2010年。
The preposition lacks an object
于 must introduce a complete time or location expression.
他出生于了1995年。
于 introduces the time expression and cannot take the aspect particle 了.
本公司成立于。
于 must introduce a complete time or location expression.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 于.
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 于. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
于: Formal Time and Location Questions
Why does 于 sometimes follow the verb?
In formal constructions such as 出生于 and 位于, the 于 phrase complements the preceding verb.
Is 于 common in conversation?
It is mainly formal and written; everyday speech often uses 在.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: GF0025-2021 Appendix A, Level 6 item 【六13】, 介词：于
Supports placement in HSK 6; it does not independently establish the usage explanation.
Official sourceA Reference Grammar of Chinese
Huang, Shi and Li · Cambridge University Press · 2022
Locator: Chapter 13, §§13.1–13.4, distribution and semantic classification of prepositional phrases
Covers formal prepositions and the post-verbal distribution of 于 phrases introducing time and location.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Compare
因因: Formal Cause
Compare this lesson with formal 因 introducing a cause; both belong to formal cause, purpose, time, and location frames, but they organize a different sentence role or discourse job.
Compare
（因）……，故……因…故…: Formal Cause and Result
Compare this lesson with 因……故…… pairing a formal cause with its result; both belong to formal cause, purpose, time, and location frames, but they organize a different sentence role or discourse job.
Compare
……，以……以: Introducing a Formal Purpose
Compare this lesson with clause-final 以 introducing a formal purpose; both belong to formal cause, purpose, time, and location frames, but they organize a different sentence role or discourse job.
Continue learning
时间Time Word Placement
Continue with the reviewed follow-up lesson to apply this pattern inside a broader, explicitly connected grammar construction.
RECOMMENDED NEXT
Continue learning
Continue with the reviewed follow-up lesson to apply this pattern inside a broader, explicitly connected grammar construction.