Expressing close possession without "de"
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
Expressing possession in Chinese is accomplished with the particle 的 (de). But sometimes when certain (especially close) relationships are involved, it's more naturally to drop the 的 (de).
Structure
Pronoun + Noun
Normally possession is expressed with the particle 的 (de). However, you can omit 的 (de) in these cases:
- A close personal relationship (family, close friends, boyfriends/girlfriends) is involved
- An institutional or organizational relationship (school, work) is involved
In these cases 的 (de) should be omitted (that is, it doesn't sound as natural if you leave it in).
Examples
- 我 家 很 大。My house is very big.
- 你 哥哥 很 高 。Your elder brother is very tall.
- 这 是 我 女朋友。 This is my girlfriend.
- 她 妈妈 很 漂亮。Her mom is very beautiful.
- 我们 学校 很 大 。Our school is big.
- 他们 公司 在 北京。Their company is in Bejing.
- 他 爸爸 是 我们 公司 的 老板。His dad is the boss of our company.
- 你 男朋友 很 帅。Your boyfriend is very handsome.
- 他 儿子 很 有名。His son is really famous.
- 我 女儿 会 说 英语。My daughter can speak English.
If 的 (de) was used in the above examples, it would create an unnatural sense of distance between the two.
