Modifying nouns with phrase + "de" 的"
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, "the man who went to Beijing" or "the book that I bought yesterday."
Here a phrase means Verb + (Object).
Examples
- 妈妈 做 的 菜
māma zuò de cài
the food that mom cooks
- 去 北京 的 火车
qù Běijīng de huǒchē
the train that goes to Beijing
- 你 教 的 学生
nǐ jiāo de xuésheng
the students that you teach
- 老板 请 的 朋友
lǎobǎn qǐng de péngyou
the friends that the boss invited
- 我 画 的画
wǒ huà de huà
the pictures that I draw
- 他 写 的 书
tā xiě de shū
the books that he wrote
- 妈妈 给 我 买 的 衣服
māma gěi wǒ mǎi de yīfu
the clothes that mom bought for me
- 客户 问 的 问题
kèhù wèn de wèntí
the questions that the client asked
- 穿 Prada 的 女人
chuān Prada de nǚrén
women who wear Prada
- 不 喜欢 中国菜 的 老外
bù xǐhuan Zhōngguó cài de lǎowài
the foreigners that don't like Chinese food
See also
Sources and Further Reading
Books
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (p. 76)
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed) (pp. 107-8)
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (p. 39)
- 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 141)
- Yufa! (pp. 37)