About
Originally meaning "bright" or "target" in certain compounds, 的 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines the semantic radical for "white" (白), suggesting brightness or clarity, with the phonetic component for "spoon" (勺). Over time, its meaning shifted from a nominal target to a grammatical particle indicating possession or adjectival modification, replacing classical particles such as "zhī" (之). The character's structure remains identical in traditional and simplified forms, functioning as a compound where the left side conveys meaning and the right side provides the sound.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
这是我的书。
蓝色的天空很美。
我最喜欢的人是妈妈。
这是昨天买的新的自行车。
他说的故事是很有意思的。
桌子上放的是我朋友的红色杯子。
那个穿着白色衬衫的先生是我昨天遇到的人。
在图书馆认真看书的学生们是这座学校最好的风景。