Instrument / Mediator
Instrumental
Instrument
Means
With what or through what does it happen?
extended
intermediate
Scene core
含义
The tool, medium, body part, system, channel, or mediator used to perform or transmit the action.
如何识别
Ask what tool or channel makes the action possible.
示例
单词
knife|phone|car|email|hand
短语
with a knife|by email|through the app
句子
He cut the bread with a knife.
Visual guide
Basic shape
Actor │ uses ▼ Instrument / mediator │ makes possible ▼ Action He cut bread with a knife.
Compare shape
Same role, different shapes: with a knife (preposition) knife-CASE (case ending) by email (medium) through the app (channel) hand + cut (bare/compound) Ask: with/through what?
语言视角
在母语中
Mandarin Chinese (Simplified, standard)
显性程度
medium
重要程度
Instruments are often introduced with 用 yòng or 拿 ná before the main verb, forming a pre-verbal instrument phrase.
她用刀切面包。
tā yòng dāo qiē miànbāo = she use knife cut bread
在目标语言中
Japanese
显性程度
strong
学习难度
Instruments and means are commonly marked by で.
ナイフでパンを切った。
I cut bread with a knife.
常见易错点
Learners may confuse で as instrument marker with で as location of action.
Same block, different coding
Both languages use this block strongly, but they signal it differently. Focus on form changes, not only meaning.