的
of; ~'s (possessive particle); (used after an attribute when it modifies a noun); (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis); (used after a noun, verb or adjective to form a nominal expression, as in 皮革的[pi2 ge2 de5] "one made of leather" or 跑堂兒的|跑堂儿的[pao3 tang2 r5 de5] "a waiter (literally, one who runs back and forth in a restaurant)" or 新的[xin1 de5] "new one"); (bound form) a taxi; a cab (abbr. for 的士[di1 shi4]); really and truly; (bound form) bull's-eye; target
Closest English meanings
(particle)·true·target
The Calligrapher — Yán Zhēnqīng 颜真卿
Tang master of robust regular script; co-creator of the enduring 'Yan style'.
Tang calligrapher (709–784), master of regular script/running script — the Tang moral paragon whose upright, muscular regular script became the model of Chinese integrity in writing. Tang dynasty
Cultural Story
The character 的 originally meant bright: the Shuowen Jiezi explains it as shining whiteness, built from 白 with a phonetic. Classical writers praised the sun's brilliance with it, and archers called the painted center of the target the 的 — 一发中的, one shot striking the mark, the ancestor of our word for goal.
Common words & phrases
- 目的 goal · purpose
- 的确 indeed · really
- 我的 mine · my
- 有的 some · there are
- 中的 hit the target
Read the story behind the character
Today 的 is the busiest character in the language: nearly every sentence carries one. You text 我的手机到了, browse listings 有的便宜有的贵, nod 的确 at a good review, and chase a 目的 on your to-do list — grammar glue, indeed, and purpose all in one.
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