In addition to [linking adjectives to
nouns](Modifying_nouns_with_adjective_+_de "wikilink"), 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](Modifying_nouns_with_adjective_+_de "wikilink"), 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."

<div class="jiegou">
Phrase + 的 + Noun

</div>
Here a phrase means *Verb + (Object)*.

Examples
--------

<div class="liju">
-   <strong> 妈妈 做 </strong> <em>的</em> 菜
    <span class="pinyin"><Strong> māma zuò </strong> <em>de</em>
    cài</span><span class="trans">the food that mom cooks </span>
-   <strong>去 北京 </strong> <em>的</em> 火车
    <span class="pinyin"><Strong>qù Běijīng </strong> <em>de</em>
    huǒchē</span><span class="trans">the train that goes to
    Beijing</span>
-   <strong>你 教 </strong> <em>的</em> 学生
    <span class="pinyin"><Strong>nǐ jiāo </strong> <em>de</em>
    xuésheng</span><span class="trans">the students that you
    teach</span>
-   <strong>老板 请 </strong> <em>的</em> 朋友
    <span class="pinyin"><Strong>lǎobǎn qǐng </strong> <em>de</em>
    péngyou</span><span class="trans">the friends that the boss
    invited</span>
-   <strong>我 画 </strong> <em>的</em>画<span class="pinyin"><Strong>wǒ
    huà </strong> <em>de</em> huà </span><span class="trans">the
    pictures that I draw</span>
-   <strong>他 写 </strong> <em>的</em> 书
    <span class="pinyin"><Strong>tā xiě </strong> <em>de</em>
    shū</span><span class="trans">the books that he wrote</span>
-   <strong>妈妈 给 我 买 </strong> <em>的</em>
    衣服<span class="pinyin"><Strong>māma gěi wǒ mǎi </strong>
    <em>de</em> yīfu</span><span class="trans">the clothes that mom
    bought for me</span>
-   <strong>客户 问 </strong> <em>的</em> 问题
    <span class="pinyin"><Strong>kèhù wèn </strong> <em>de</em> wèntí
    </span><span class="trans">the questions that the client
    asked</span>
-   <strong>穿 Prada </strong> <em>的</em>
    女人<span class="pinyin"><Strong>chuān Prada </strong> <em>de</em>
    nǚrén</span><span class="trans">women who wear Prada</span>
-   <strong>不 喜欢 中国菜 </strong> <em>的</em> 老外
    <span class="pinyin"><Strong>bù xǐhuan Zhōngguó cài
    </strong><em>de</em> lǎowài </span><span class="trans">the
    foreigners that don't like Chinese food</span>

</div>
See also
--------

-   [Modifying nouns with adjective +
    de](Modifying_nouns_with_adjective_+_de "wikilink")
-   [Expressing possession](Expressing_possession "wikilink")

Sources and Further Reading
---------------------------

### Books

-   [Basic Patterns of Chinese
    Grammar](Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar "wikilink") (p. 76)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2
    (3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_2_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (pp.
    107-8)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709)
-   [Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second
    Edition](Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition "wikilink") (p.
    39)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615)
-   [40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course
    (基础汉语40课上册）](40_Lessons_for_Basic_Chinese_Course_(基础汉语40课上册） "wikilink") (p.
    141)[→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FTL8D8/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001FTL8D8&linkCode=as2&tag=allset-20)
-   [Yufa!](Yufa! "wikilink") (pp. 37)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709)

[Category:A2 grammar points](Category:A2_grammar_points "wikilink")