<p>IMO, when 以...为... is used as a verb phrase, it should be translated to "using/taking A as B". For example, 他们以胖为美。== They take fat as beauty. </p>

<p>When it is used as a prepositional phrase, we could use the prepositional word by to interpret. </p>

<p>For example, 以小时为单位 could be simply translated to "by the hour". We are paid by the hour. == 我们以小时(为单位)计费。为单位 could be omitted in this case. </p>

<p>Apparently, in this context, it's a prepositional phrase. So, </p>

<p>不是要求以小组为单位做报告吗? </p>

<p>one possible translation: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Isn't the demand/request to do the reporting by group?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Here 以小组为单位 could be interpreted as "by group". </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-09T06:24:11.360Z
"in small groups", as seen in Sati's answer. (I'm not a native speaker of English, though)
Philipp
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-09T04:28:17.943Z
2017-09-12T02:11:02.870Z
2017-09-12T02:11:02.870Z
dan
<p>An appropriate translation will be: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Aren't we supposed to do the report in small groups? </p>
</blockquote>

<p>以小组为单位 literally means working as a unit (in small groups). The wiki is not wrong in translating 以 as 'using/taking'. The phrase simply means we should take 'small groups' as a unit to do the work. </p>

<p>The subject of the verb 要求 has been omitted in this case. Someone has apparently given the instruction to work in groups. That's why the speaker is asking to clarify the status of the instruction. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-09T08:00:31.510Z
'Supposed' is more like 'should' to me, which is much more weaker than 要求 I think.
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-09T08:14:19.007Z
@dan, 要求 does come across as quite strong when taken out of context, especially if you think of it as something loosely equivalent to 'demand'. But I think 'supposed' is precisely its meaning over here. Take this phrase, for example: 

「不是应该以小组做讨论吗？」

I don't see a change of voice over here.
Sati
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-09T08:26:57.930Z
Actually not, 不是应该以小组做讨论吗？ vs  不是要求以小组为单位做报告吗? The former implies ‘we should not do this way’ and the latter implies 'we can not do this way'. The speaker conveys a strong tone here, and it could sometimes be considered even as a blame if it was said by a leader.
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-09T09:18:12.913Z
I think you misinterpreted the meaning of the sentences. 「不是.应该.以小组.做讨论.吗？」is a rhetorical question meaning 'I thought we should'. Similarly, 「不是.要求.以小组.为单位.做报告.吗? 」means 'I thought we've been asked to do this'. This is a new issue altogether. Maybe you could post a new question on this can so that we can have our discussion over there.
Sati
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-09T09:33:36.500Z
You do demonstrate some difference between 应该 and 要求 in some degree, which is 'should' and 'asked' respectively. And 要求 is not just a 'asked' though.
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-09T09:48:42.670Z
It is in this context. I wouldn't translate it as 'demand' as a native Chinese speaker. That would surely be too strong. 要求 just denotes expectation over here, and expectation is not as strong as demand.
Sati
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-09T05:46:57.370Z
2017-09-09T05:46:57.370Z
Sati
<p>·这是反问句的一种形式，用“不是······吗”表示事实应该这样。以否定式强调肯定的意思。
  Using 不是······吗to express the meaning of certainty. Using a negative form to emphasize an affirmative meaning.
 这句话的意思是要求每个小组（选一个代表）发言。The meaning is each group (choose a representative) is asked to speak.
·“单位”是指小组（group）/团队(team).汉语里经常用到它，不要按字面翻译成单位（unit）这个术语。
 单位 is refer to group or team, but not jargon unit.
·以···为···这里“以”是把的意思，“为”是当作/作为 也就是把“每个小组”作为“一个团队”
这句话隐含的意思是只要小组的代表发言就可以，不需要每个人都演讲。
The implication of this sentence is that only the representatives of the group speak, not everyone speaks.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-01-02T13:17:24.077Z
2020-01-02T13:17:24.077Z
Holly zhang
<blockquote>
  <p>不是要求<strong>以</strong>小组<strong>为</strong>单位做报告吗?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Context: a conversation about an economics class in high school.</p>

<p>The Chinese Grammar Wiki says "以 A 为 B" means "using/taking A as B", but it still doesn't make sense to me.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-08T20:25:17.830Z
What part of " (use/take) small groups (as) units" you not understand ? You can apply "using/taking A as B" in different sentences, for example, "(use) pound (as) standard"; "(take) five people (as) one team"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-08T20:25:48.793Z
Am I not asking you to report by （以） group as (为) a unit?
user16115
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-08T21:27:11.133Z
不是要求以小组为单位做报告 I do not ask you to form groups (in order) to make out reports  
cf. jukuu：4.  The teacher asked the students to sit in groups so as to have group discussion.
 老师让学生们以小组为单位坐好，以便进行小组讨论。
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-09T03:39:49.317Z
@user6065;@user16115, The speaker may not be the requester/commander in this case. So, "Am I not asking..." or "I do not ask..." could be wrong interpretation in this case.
dan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-15T10:33:58.753Z
reporting your understanding, at team level.
Daniel Yang
<translation><grammar><sentence-structure>
Why is the meaning of 不是要求以小组为单位做报告吗?? (...以...为...)
# Why is the meaning of 不是要求以小组为单位做报告吗?? (...以...为...)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-09-08)

> 不是要求**以**小组**为**单位做报告吗?

Context: a conversation about an economics class in high school.

The Chinese Grammar Wiki says "以 A 为 B" means "using/taking A as B", but it still doesn't make sense to me.

**Tags:** translation, grammar, sentence-structure
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What part of " (use/take) small groups (as) units" you not understand ? You can apply "using/taking A as B" in different sentences, for example, "(use) pound (as) standard"; "(take) five people (as) one team"  
> **username_2**: Am I not asking you to report by （以） group as (为) a unit?  
> **username_3**: 不是要求以小组为单位做报告 I do not ask you to form groups (in order) to make out reports   cf. jukuu：4.  The teacher asked the students to sit in groups so as to have group discussion.  老师让学生们以小组为单位坐好，以便进行小组讨论。  
> **username_4**: @user6065;@user16115, The speaker may not be the requester/commander in this case. So, "Am I not asking..." or "I do not ask..." could be wrong interpretation in this case.  
> **username_5**: reporting your understanding, at team level.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-09-09. Score: 3

IMO, when 以...为... is used as a verb phrase, it should be translated to "using/taking A as B". For example, 他们以胖为美。== They take fat as beauty.

When it is used as a prepositional phrase, we could use the prepositional word by to interpret.

For example, 以小时为单位 could be simply translated to "by the hour". We are paid by the hour. == 我们以小时(为单位)计费。为单位 could be omitted in this case.

Apparently, in this context, it's a prepositional phrase. So,

不是要求以小组为单位做报告吗?

one possible translation:

> Isn't the demand/request to do the reporting by group?

Here 以小组为单位 could be interpreted as "by group".

> **Comments:**
> **username_6**: "in small groups", as seen in Sati's answer. (I'm not a native speaker of English, though)  

---

### Answer by username_7 on 2017-09-09. Score: 1

An appropriate translation will be:

> Aren't we supposed to do the report in small groups?

以小组为单位 literally means working as a unit (in small groups). The wiki is not wrong in translating 以 as 'using/taking'. The phrase simply means we should take 'small groups' as a unit to do the work.

The subject of the verb 要求 has been omitted in this case. Someone has apparently given the instruction to work in groups. That's why the speaker is asking to clarify the status of the instruction.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: 'Supposed' is more like 'should' to me, which is much more weaker than 要求 I think.  
> **username_7**: @dan, 要求 does come across as quite strong when taken out of context, especially if you think of it as something loosely equivalent to 'demand'. But I think 'supposed' is precisely its meaning over here. Take this phrase, for example:   「不是应该以小组做讨论吗？」  I don't see a change of voice over here.  
> **username_4**: Actually not, 不是应该以小组做讨论吗？ vs  不是要求以小组为单位做报告吗? The former implies ‘we should not do this way’ and the latter implies 'we can not do this way'. The speaker conveys a strong tone here, and it could sometimes be considered even as a blame if it was said by a leader.  
> **username_7**: I think you misinterpreted the meaning of the sentences. 「不是.应该.以小组.做讨论.吗？」is a rhetorical question meaning 'I thought we should'. Similarly, 「不是.要求.以小组.为单位.做报告.吗? 」means 'I thought we've been asked to do this'. This is a new issue altogether. Maybe you could post a new question on this can so that we can have our discussion over there.  
> **username_4**: You do demonstrate some difference between 应该 and 要求 in some degree, which is 'should' and 'asked' respectively. And 要求 is not just a 'asked' though.  
> **username_7**: It is in this context. I wouldn't translate it as 'demand' as a native Chinese speaker. That would surely be too strong. 要求 just denotes expectation over here, and expectation is not as strong as demand.  

---

### Answer by username_8 on 2020-01-02. Score: 0

·这是反问句的一种形式，用“不是······吗”表示事实应该这样。以否定式强调肯定的意思。
Using 不是······吗to express the meaning of certainty. Using a negative form to emphasize an affirmative meaning.
这句话的意思是要求每个小组（选一个代表）发言。The meaning is each group (choose a representative) is asked to speak.
·“单位”是指小组（group）/团队(team).汉语里经常用到它，不要按字面翻译成单位（unit）这个术语。
单位 is refer to group or team, but not jargon unit.
·以···为···这里“以”是把的意思，“为”是当作/作为 也就是把“每个小组”作为“一个团队”
这句话隐含的意思是只要小组的代表发言就可以，不需要每个人都演讲。
The implication of this sentence is that only the representatives of the group speak, not everyone speaks.


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