归…所有
to belong to; to be the property of (legal)
Structure
某物 ＋ 归 ＋ 某人 ＋ 所有
What it means
To belong to; to be the property of. The standard phrasing of laws, contracts and wills for who holds title to something.
How it is built
Thing + 归 + owner + 所有: 婚后买的房子归夫妻共同所有 (A home bought during the marriage belongs to husband and wife jointly).
When to use it
归 marks where it goes, 所有 (所 + 有, “what is owned”) marks ownership. Without 所有, 归 means “is the job of” or “goes to”: 这件事归他管, 冠军归了中国队. Nouns: 归属, 所有权 (ownership).
Watch out
The owner goes between the two: ✗ 归所有母亲 ✓ 归母亲所有. This 所有 (to own) is not 所有 “all”: 所有的房子 means all the flats.
Examples
婚后买的房子归夫妻共同所有。
A home bought during the marriage belongs to husband and wife jointly.
无人继承又无人受遗赠的遗产，一般归国家所有，用于公益事业。
An estate with neither an heir nor a legatee generally belongs to the state and is used for the public good.
这幅画是他送给你的，从现在起就归你所有了。
He gave you this painting; from now on it is yours.
Learn this in Lesson 195 · HSK 7–9: 遗嘱与继承 (Wills and inheritance: a legal advice column)
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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