Modifying nouns with phrase + "de"

In addition to linking adjectives to nouns, 的 (de) can also be used to link a whole phrase to a noun, making the already useful 的 (de) even more useful.

Structure

As well as attaching adjectives to nouns, 的 (de) can be used to attach whole phrases to nouns. In English this is often achieved with "who" or "that." For example, in "The man who went to Beijing" or "The book that I bought yesterday."

[Phrase] + 的 + Noun

Here a phrase means Verb + (Object).

Examples

• 去 北京 的 火车qù Běijīng de huǒchēThe train that goes to Beijing.
• 今天 来 的 人jīntiān lái de rénThe people that come today.
• 我 做 的 饭wǒ zuò de fànThe food that I cook(ed).
• 上 个 星期 去 的 地方shàng gè xīngqī qù de dìfāngThe place we went to last week.
• 不 喜欢 美国 人 的 女孩bù xǐhuan Měiguó rén de nǚháiThe girl that doesn't like Americans.
• 做 咖啡 的 男人zuò kāfēi de nánrénThe man that makes coffee.
• 那 个 学校 的 老师nàgè xuéxiào de lǎoshīThe teacher of that school.
• 在 上海 买 的 衣服zài Shànghǎi mǎi de yīfuThe clothes that were bought in Shanghai.
• 穿 Prada 的 女人chuān Prada de nǚrénWomen who wear Prada.
• 昨晚 喝 了 很 多 啤酒 的 那 个 人zuó wǎn hēle hěnduō píjiǔ de nàgè rénThat person that drank a lot of beer last night.

See also

• Modifying nouns with adjective + de
• Expressing possession

Sources and Further Reading

Books

• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (p. 76) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 107-8) →buy
• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (p. 39) →buy
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 141)→buy
• Yufa! (pp. 37) →buy