以…为…【yǐ…wéi…】

以 A 为 B is a written frame: it takes A as B, or makes A the B of something. 为 here is read wéi, "to be, to serve as". The frame mostly turns up with a small set of B words.

The common B words

• 为主 – mainly, chiefly
• 为中心 – centred on
• 为目标 – with … as the goal
• 为荣 – proud of (以 + someone + 为荣)

以…为例 "take … as an example" and 以…为准 "go by …" use the same frame and have their own points.

以…为 or 以为

以为 written together is a different word, "to think (wrongly)". In 以…为… the two characters are split by A, and 为 reads wéi.

• × 以为主学生 → 以学生为主

The frame belongs to notices, reports and descriptions of a school or a company. In conversation 主要 does the job of 以…为主: 这家饭馆主要做四川菜.