Difference between revisions of "Expressing possession with "de""

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
In Chinese, possession is marked with the particle 的 (de), placed after the associated noun or noun phrase. This particle works in a similar way to ''''s''' (apostrophe "s") in English, but is used much more widely. This article highlights one of its simplest and most common usages.
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In Chinese, possession is marked with the particle 的 (de), placed after the "owner" noun or noun phrase. This particle works in a similar way to apostrophe-"s" in English, but is used much more broadly in Chinese. This article highlights one of its simplest and most common usages.
  
=== Structure ===
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== Structure ==
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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The structure is super simple.  It will take a bit of time before you realize how truly universal this pattern is.  It doesn't matter whether the "Noun 1" is a person, place, or thing, or even if it's a pronoun (like "he," "she," or "it").  The structure stays consistent.
 
The structure is super simple.  It will take a bit of time before you realize how truly universal this pattern is.  It doesn't matter whether the "Noun 1" is a person, place, or thing, or even if it's a pronoun (like "he," "she," or "it").  The structure stays consistent.
  
=== Examples ===
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== Examples ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 我 <em>的</em> 老师 <span class="pinyin">wǒ <em>de </em> lǎoshī</span><span class="trans">my teacher</span>
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* 我 <em>的</em> 老师 <span class="pinyin">wǒ <em>de</em> lǎoshī</span><span class="trans">my teacher</span>
* 你 <em>的</em> 啤酒 <span class="pinyin">nǐ <em>de </em> píjiǔ</span><span class="trans">your beer</span>
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* 你 <em>的</em> 手机 <span class="pinyin">nǐ <em>de</em> shǒujī </span><span class="trans">your cell phone</span>
* <em>的</em> <span class="pinyin"><em>de </em> shū</span><span class="trans">his book</span>
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* 我们 <em>的</em> <span class="pinyin">wǒmen <em>de</em> qián</span><span class="trans">our money</span>
* 他们 <em>的</em> 东西 <span class="pinyin">tāmen <em>de </em> dōngxī</span><span class="trans">their stuff</span>
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* 他们 <em>的</em> 东西 <span class="pinyin">tāmen <em>de</em> dōngxi</span><span class="trans">their stuff</span>
* 小李 <em>的</em> 手机 <span class="pinyin">xiǎo Lǐ <em>de </em> shǒujī</span><span class="trans">Xiao Li's cell phone</span>
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* 爸爸 <em>的</em> <span class="pinyin"> bàba <em>de</em> chē </span><span class="trans">dad's car</span>
* 我们 <em>的</em> <span class="pinyin">wǒmen <em>de </em> chá</span><span class="trans">our tea</span>
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* 你们 <em>的</em> <span class="pinyin"> nǐmen <em>de</em> cài</span><span class="trans">your food</span>
* 我 家 <em>的</em> 小狗<span class="pinyin">wǒjiā <em>de </em> xiǎo gǒu</span><span class="trans">my family's puppy</span>
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* 北京 <em>的</em> 空气 <span class="pinyin"> Běijīng <em>de</em> kōngqì </span><span class="trans">Beijing's air</span>
* 公司 <em>的</em> 老板<span class="pinyin">gōngsī <em>de </em> lǎobǎn</span><span class="trans">the company's boss</span>
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* 公司 <em>的</em> 老板<span class="pinyin">gōngsī <em>de</em> lǎobǎn</span><span class="trans">the company's boss</span>
* 上海 <em>的</em> 美女<span class="pinyin">Shànghǎi <em>de </em> měinǚ</span><span class="trans">Shanghai's beautiful women</span>
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* 上海 <em>的</em> 天气 <span class="pinyin">Shànghǎi <em>de</em> tiānqì </span><span class="trans">Shanghai's weather</span>
* 美女 <em>的</em> 朋友<span class="pinyin">měinǚ <em>de </em> péngyǒu</span><span class="trans">the beautiful woman's friend</span>
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* 老师 <em>的</em> 朋友<span class="pinyin"> lǎoshī <em>de</em> péngyou</span><span class="trans">teacher's friend</span>
  
 
</div>
 
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*[[Expressing close possession]]
 
*[[Expressing close possession]]
*[[Modifying nouns with adjective + de]]
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*[[Modifying nouns with adjective + "de"]]
*[[Modifying nouns with phrase + de]]
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*[[Modifying nouns with phrase + "de"]]
  
 
== Sources and further reading ==
 
== Sources and further reading ==
  
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (p. 45) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 1|24}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] (p. 87) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|45}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)]] (pp. 101-2) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235 →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)|87}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 64-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297 →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)|101-2}}
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)|64-5}}
  
 
[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|的|A1|Noun1 + 的 + Noun2|我 的 <em>老师</em>|grammar point|ASGUHQD2}}
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{{HSK|HSK1}}{{2021-HSK|HSK1}}
{{Similar|Expressing close possession}}  
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{{Used for|Expressing possession}}
{{Similar|Modifying nouns with adjective + de}}  
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{{Basic Grammar|的|A1|Noun 1 + 的 + Noun 2|我 的 <em>老师</em>|grammar point|ASGUHQD2}}
{{Similar|Modifying nouns with phrase + de}}
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{{Similar|Expressing close possession without "de"}}  
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{{Similar|Modifying nouns with adjective + "de"}}  
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{{Similar|Modifying nouns with phrase + "de"}}
 
{{POS|Particles}}
 
{{POS|Particles}}
 
{{Translation|My}}
 
{{Translation|My}}

Latest revision as of 09:21, 20 April 2021

In Chinese, possession is marked with the particle 的 (de), placed after the "owner" noun or noun phrase. This particle works in a similar way to apostrophe-"s" in English, but is used much more broadly in Chinese. This article highlights one of its simplest and most common usages.

Structure

Noun 1 + 的 + Noun 2

This means "Noun 1's Noun 2" (where Noun 2 belongs to Noun 1).

The structure is super simple. It will take a bit of time before you realize how truly universal this pattern is. It doesn't matter whether the "Noun 1" is a person, place, or thing, or even if it's a pronoun (like "he," "she," or "it"). The structure stays consistent.

Examples

  • 老师 de lǎoshīmy teacher
  • 手机 de shǒujī your cell phone
  • 我们 wǒmen de qiánour money
  • 他们 东西 tāmen de dōngxitheir stuff
  • 爸爸 bàba de chē dad's car
  • 你们 nǐmen de càiyour food
  • 北京 空气 Běijīng de kōngqì Beijing's air
  • 公司 老板gōngsī de lǎobǎnthe company's boss
  • 上海 天气 Shànghǎi de tiānqì Shanghai's weather
  • 老师 朋友 lǎoshī de péngyouteacher's friend

See also

Sources and further reading