Understanding the Prepositions "按" and "按照"

In Chinese, the prepositions "按" (àn) and "按照" (ànzhào) are used to indicate a basis or standard for an action or calculation. They can often be translated as "according to" or "based on" in English.

1. Usage of "按":
2. "按" is commonly used to express a method or standard for calculating or determining something. It can be used in various contexts, such as time, quantity, or criteria.
3. Example: 房租按天或者按月计算。 (The rent is calculated on a daily or monthly basis.)

4. In this sentence, "按" indicates the basis on which the rent is calculated.

5. Usage of "按照":

6. "按照" is a more formal version of "按" and is often used in written language. It emphasizes following a guideline or instruction.
7. Example: 他们按照地图找到了全部东西，顺利完成了任务。 (They found everything according to the map and successfully completed the task.)
8. Here, "按照" indicates that the actions taken were based on the map as a guideline.

In summary, both "按" and "按照" serve to express actions taken based on a certain standard or guideline, with "按照" being more formal and often used in written contexts.