的 (de)
Connecting Nouns and Forming Noun Phrases
的 is most frequently used to link descriptive elements to nouns. It turns adjectives, phrases, or even clauses into modifiers that describe the following noun, creating a noun phrase or attributive phrase, 的 is somewhat similar to the English possessive “’s” or the relative pronoun “that.”s.
In more simple terms, 的 can be placed between a descriptive element and a noun to show possession, give details, or specify which one.
Owner + 的 + Item
As a possessive marker, 的 is used to indicate possession or belonging.
e.g.
- 老师 的 书 (lǎoshī de shū) the teacher’s books
- 我 的 笔 (wǒ de bǐ) my pen
- 妈妈 的 微笑 (māma de wéixiào) mom’s smile
- 奶奶 的 毛衣 (nǎinai de máoyī) grandma’s sweater
- 国家 的 财产 (guójiā de cáichǎn) national property
Adjective + 的 + Noun
的 is used to link descriptive adjectives to nouns.
e.g.
- 漂亮 的 花 (piàoliang de huā) beautiful flowers
- 潮湿 的 房子 (cháoshī de fángzi) a humid house
- 快乐 的 孩子 (kuàilè de háizǐ) happy kids
- 美好 的 结局 (měihǎo de jiéjú) happy ending
- 愚蠢 的 决定 (yúchǔn de juédìng) stupid decision
Clause + 的 + Noun
的 is used to turn a descriptive clause into a modifier.
e.g.
- 我昨天看见 的 那个人 (wǒ zuótiān kànjiàn de nà gèrén) the person I saw yesterday
- 上午才开 的 那朵花 (shàngwǔ cái kāi de nà duǒ huā) the flower that bloomed in the morning
- 最早到达 的 那个客人 (zuìzǎo dàodá de nàgè kèrén) the first guest to arrive
- 日照时间最短 的 国家 (rìzhào shíjiān zuìduǎn de guójiā) the country with the shortest daylight hours
- 我们一家都讨厌 的 那个人 (wǒmen yījiā dōu tǎoyàn de nàgè rén) the person that our family hates
Here are more details about the attributive particle 的.
地 (de)
Turning Adjectives and Phrases into Adverbs
There are two pronunciations for the character 地, one is “dì” as in 土地 (tǔ dì) meaning land or earth, and the other is “de” as a structural particle. For the purposes of this lesson, we’ll focus on the latter.
It typically appears after adjectives or descriptive phrases and before a verb, transforming those descriptive elements into adverbials. It is similar to adding the suffix “-ly” to an adjective in English, such as changing the adjective “quick” to the adverb “quickly.”
Adjective + 地 + Verb
As an adverbial marker, 地 is placed between an adjective or descriptive phrase and a verb to describe how the action is done.
e.g.
- 慢慢 地 走 (mànmàn de zǒu) walk slowly
- 认真 地 学习 (rènzhēn de xuéxí) study seriously
- 安静 地 吃饭 (ānjìng de chīfàn) eat quietly
- 紧张 地 筹备 (jǐnzhāng de chóubèi) prepare nervously
- 迅速 地 确认 (xùnsù de quèrèn) confirm quickly
…… + 地 + Verb
地 can also be used to indicate that a whole phrase is modifying the following verb. Compared to the particle 的, this one ensures that readers know the phrase is modifying the verb of the sentence, rather than a noun.
e.g.
- 大声 地 说 (dàshēng de shuō) speak loudly (not “loud voice’s speaking” but “speak in a loud manner”)
- 发自内心 地 崇拜 (fā zì nèixīn de chóngbài) worship wholeheartedly
- 打心底里 地 热爱 (dǎ xīndǐ lǐ de rè’ài) love genuinely
- 情不自禁 地 喜欢 (qíng bù zì jìn de xǐhuān) like uncontrollably
- 控制不住 地 嫉妒 (kòngzhì bù zhù de jídù) be uncontrollably jealous
Here are more details about the Structural Particle “地”.
得 (de)
Linking Verbs with Complements
There are three pronunciations of 得, but only “de” is used after a verb to connect it with a complement, which will describes the manner or degree of the action. This complement can be an adjective, an adverbial phrase, or another descriptive element that provides more detail about how well or how quickly the action is performed.
Verb/Adjective + 得 + Manner/Degree complement
After a verb, 得 can be used to introduce a phrase describing how the action is carried out.
e.g.
- 他说汉语说 得 很流利。(Tā shuō Hànyǔ shuō de hěn liúlì.) He speaks Chinese very fluently.
- 跑 得 很快 (pǎo de hěn kuài) run very fast
- 这场手术做 得 相当专业。(Zhè chǎng shǒushù zuò de xiāngdāng zhuānyè.) The operation was done very professionally.
- 这手字写 得 非常漂亮。(Zhè shǒu zì xiě de fēicháng piàoliang.) This handwriting is very beautiful.
- 这段话讲 得 感人至深。(Zhè duàn huà jiǎng de gǎnrén zhì shēn.) This speech is very touching.
- 他的皮肤白 得 发光。(Tā de pífū bái de fāguāng.) His skin is glowing white.
- 天黑 得 吓人。(Tiān hēi de xiàrén.) It is terribly dark.
- 天气冷 得 不得了。(Tiānqì lěng de bùdéle.) It is extremely cold.
Adjective + 得 + Result/Possibility complement
While often combined with other characters to form resultative or potential complements, 得is still the essential link between the action and its result or feasibility.
e.g.
- 做 得 完 (zuò de wán) able to finish (doing something)
- 听 得 懂 (tīng de dǒng) able to understand by listening
- 吃 得 了 (chī de liǎo) able to eat
- 行 得 通 (xíng de tōng) usable
- 用 得 光 (yòng de guāng) able to use it all
得 allows you to describe the extent, ability, or result of an action. It gives your sentences more depth by showing how well, how much, or in what manner something is done.
Here are more details about describing actions with 得.
Although 的, 得, and 地 may appear deceptively similar, understanding their distinct grammatical roles is key to crafting precise, clear, and natural-sounding Chinese sentences. By remembering each particle’s primary function—的 for nouns, 地 for adverbials, and 得 for verb complements—you can confidently differentiate between them and improve both your comprehension and expression in Chinese.
Further reading:
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