的 (de) — (possessive/attribute particle) used after a modifier to indicate possession or attribute; (nominalizer) used after an adjective or verb to form a noun phrase; (sentence-final particle) used at the end of a declarative sentence to add emphasis or affirmation
Definition
的 (de) is the most common particle: it links a modifier to a noun (我的书 = 'my book'), turns a phrase into a noun (喜欢小的 = 'like the small one'), or ends a sentence for emphasis (他会来的). 之 is its formal, literary equivalent, mostly seen in writing.
particle
(possessive/attribute particle) used after a modifier to indicate possession or attribute(nominalizer) used after an adjective or verb to form a noun phrase(sentence-final particle) used at the end of a declarative sentence to add emphasis or affirmation
Examples
- 的。Zhè shì wǒ de shū.This is my book.
- 的。Wǒ xǐ huan xiǎo de.I like the small one.
- 的。Tā huì lái de.He will come.
Grammar
Appears in
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