Modifying nouns with adjective and "de"
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One best ways to use the common character 的(de) is to have it spice up your nouns with adjectives.
Contents
Structure
A very common way to modify nouns is to attach an adjective to them using 的 (de).
Adjective + 的 + Noun
This structure comes up extremely frequently and is an easy way to attribute features to nouns. Note that if the adjective has two characters (e.g. 漂亮 or 高兴), the 的 is generally required.
Examples
- 红色 的 气球a red ball
- 漂亮 的 衣服 beautiful clothes
- 好看 的 书a great book
- 好喝 的 啤酒great-tasting beer
Without the noun
In some cases, it is possible to drop the noun altogether, and just use the adjective + 的. For this to work, there already has to be context, so that the listener can understand what it is referring to. This construction has the feeling of saying "one," as in "the blue one".
Examples
Needs examples
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 70-1) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 37) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 233) →buy