……的 + 名词
describe a noun with a whole phrase: “the toy I bought”, “the man who drives the taxi”
Structure
动词短语／主谓短语 + 的 + 名词
What it means
Describes a noun with a whole phrase, like English “the toy I bought” or “the man who drives the taxi”. The phrase goes before the noun, joined by 的.
How it is built
Phrase + 的 + noun: 我昨天买的书 (the book I bought yesterday). 开出租车的人 (the person who drives a taxi).
When to use it
In Chinese everything that describes a noun comes before it (h1-5), even a long phrase. English puts the phrase after the noun with “who”, “which” or “that”; Chinese has no such word, 的 does the job: 这是我母亲做的饺子.
Watch out
Don’t copy English order: ✗ 人谁开出租车 ✓ 开出租车的人. Don’t forget 的: ✗ 我昨天买玩具很好玩儿。 ✓ 我昨天买的玩具很好玩儿。
Examples
我昨天买的玩具很好玩儿。
The toy I bought yesterday is great fun.
开出租车的那个人是我朋友。
That man who drives a taxi is my friend.
这是我母亲做的饺子。
These are dumplings my mother made.
Learn this in HSK 3 · Lesson 12: 我的家乡 (Hometown)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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