的

的 (Kangxi radical 106, 白+3, 8 strokes, cangjie input 竹日心戈 (HAPI), four-corner 2762₀, composition ⿰白勺)

• 啲, 菂

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 786, character 7
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 22692
• Dae Jaweon: page 1201, character 9
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2644, character 16
• Unihan data for U+7684

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *pleːwɢ): semantic 白 (“white”) + phonetic 勺 (OC *pljewɢ, *bljewɢ).

The original form was 旳 with the meaning of “bright”, hence the initial 日 semantic. See Etymology 1 below.

For the "bright" sense, probably related to 曜 (OC *lewɢs, “to shine; daylight”); see there for more (STEDT).

The sense of “mark in a target” may be secondary. Alternatively, it may be an independent root on its own. Compare Tibetan རྟགས (rtags, “mark, sign”).

的

1. bright; clear; distinct

   Alternative form: (ancient) 旳

2. white; white-coloured
3. white forehead of horses; white-foreheaded horse
4. centre of target for archery

   Alternative form: 㢩

5. aim; standard; criterion
6. target; objective

   目的  ―  mùdì  ―  purpose, aim, goal

7. (historical) red dot worn on the centre of the forehead by women; bindi

   Alternative form: (ancient) 旳

8. alternative form of 菂 (dì, “lotus seed”)
9. true; real (Can we add an example for this sense?)
10. really; truly; certainly

    的確／的确  ―  díquè  ―  truly

• Old Turkic: tek (-ish, like)
  • Kypchak: -daq, -day
  • Karluk: -daq, -day
  • Oghuz: -dek, -tek

First attested in the Tang Dynasty as 底. This glyph was borrowed later to represent de, the possessive marker in Northern Chinese, superseding the earlier 底 as a way to write this word.

There are three main competing proposals for its etymology:

• Derived from the lenition of the literary genitive marker 之 (OC *tjɯ) (Demiéville, 1950; Wang, 1958; Mei, 1988), which is still preserved in many phrases, and in the written form to some extent, especially in Taiwan.
• Derived from the lenition of 者 (OC *tjaːʔ, “nominalizer > medieval possessive”) (Lü, 1943; Yuan et al., 1996; Yang, R., 2016). Note that 的 is also a nominalizer like 者 in Classical Chinese.
• Derived from the lenition of Middle Chinese demonstrative 底 (MC tejX) (Shi, 2015, 2023).

If from either of the first two etymons, possibly cognate with the demonstrative 這／这 (zhè).

Possibly cognate with the particle sense of 地, which is homophonic but now has its specialised usage.

In contemporary times it is also used to represent unrelated equivalent particles in other Chinese varieties. Examples include Hokkien ê (variously also written as 个, 之, 兮, 亓, ㄟ, possibly derived from 其 according to Douglas (1873)^[1] although the Arte de la Lengua Chiõ Chiu (1620) and Dictionario Hispanico Sinicum (1626-1642) historically used 个), Eastern Min gì (其), Wu geq (個) and Cantonese ge³ (嘅 < 個).

的 (chiefly Mandarin, Jin, Xiang)

1. genitive case marker
   1. Used after an attribute. Indicates that the previous word has possession of the next one. It functions like ’s in English (or like the word “of” but with the position of possessor and possessee switched). ’s; of

      Alternative form: (dated) 底

      我的書／我的书  ―  wǒ de shū  ―  my book(s)

      這本書是老王的。 [MSC, trad.]
      这本书是老王的。 [MSC, simp.]

      Zhè běn shū shì lǎo Wáng de. [Pinyin]

      This book is Wang’s.

      別開他的玩笑了。 [MSC, trad.]
      别开他的玩笑了。 [MSC, simp.]

      Bié kāi tā de wánxiào le. [Pinyin]

      Don't make fun of him.

      蛇的毒  ―  shé de dú  ―  the snake’s poison

      人民的國家／人民的国家  ―  rénmín de guójiā  ―  the People’s Country

   2. Used to link a noun, an adjective or a phrase to a noun to describe it. that; who

      Alternative form: (obsolete) 底

      紅色的氣球／红色的气球  ―  hóngsè de qìqiú  ―  a red balloon

      鐵的紀律／铁的纪律  ―  tiě de jìlǜ  ―  iron discipline

      去北京的火車／去北京的火车  ―  qù Běijīng de huǒchē  ―  The train that goes to Beijing

      昨天來的人／昨天来的人  ―  zuótiān lái de rén  ―  The people who came yesterday

      今天開會是你的主席。 [MSC, trad.]
      今天开会是你的主席。 [MSC, simp.]

      Jīntiān kāihuì shì nǐ de zhǔxí. [Pinyin]

      You will chair today's meeting. (You, the chairperson, are to attend the meeting today.)

      的話／的话  ―  dehuà  ―  particle put at the end of a conditional clause

   3. Used to express “of that kind”.

      針頭線腦的／针头线脑的  ―  zhēntóuxiànnǎo de  ―  things such as needles and threads

2. nominalizer
   1. Used to form a noun phrase or nominal expression.

      Alternative form: (obsolete) 底

      我愛吃辣的。／我爱吃辣的。  ―  Wǒ ài chī là de.  ―  I like hot (or peppery) food.

      菊花開了，有紅的，有黃的。 [MSC, trad.]
      菊花开了，有红的，有黄的。 [MSC, simp.]

      Júhuā kāi le, yǒu hóng de, yǒu huáng de. [Pinyin]

      The chrysanthemums are in bloom; some are red and some yellow.

      他說他的，我幹我的。 [MSC, trad.]
      他说他的，我干我的。 [MSC, simp.]

      Tā shuō tā de, wǒ gàn wǒ de. [Pinyin]

      Let him say what he likes; I'll just get on with my work.

      火車上看書的看書，聊天的聊天。 [MSC, trad.]
      火车上看书的看书，聊天的聊天。 [MSC, simp.]

      Huǒchē shàng kàn shū de kàn shū, liáotiān de liáotiān. [Pinyin]

      On the train some people were reading and some were chatting.

      我要兩個三毛的。 [MSC, trad.]
      我要两个三毛的。 [MSC, simp.]

      Wǒ yào liǎng ge sān máo de. [Pinyin]

      I want two of the thirty-cent ones. (i.e. two items worth thirty cents each)

      無緣無故的，你著什麼急？ [MSC, trad.]
      无缘无故的，你着什么急？ [MSC, simp.]

      Wúyuánwúgù de, nǐ zháo shénme jí? [Pinyin]

      Why do you get excited for no reason at all?

      這裡用不著你，你只管睡你的去。 [MSC, trad.]
      这里用不着你，你只管睡你的去。 [MSC, simp.]

      Zhèlǐ yòng bù zháo nǐ, nǐ zhǐguǎn shuì nǐ de qù. [Pinyin]

      We don't need you here. Just go to bed.

   2. Used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis.

      你們這兩天真夠辛苦的。 [MSC, trad.]
      你们这两天真够辛苦的。 [MSC, simp.]

      Nǐmen zhè liǎng tiān zhēn gòu xīnkǔ de. [Pinyin]

      You've really been working hard the past few days.

   3. Used after a verb or between a verb and its object to stress an element of the sentence. It can be used with 是 (shì) to surround the stressed element.

      誰買的？／谁买的？  ―  Shéi mǎi de?  ―  Who bought it?

      你嗓子怎麼啞了？——唱的。 [MSC, trad.]
      你嗓子怎么哑了？——唱的。 [MSC, simp.]

      Nǐ sǎngzǐ zěnme yǎ le? — Chàng de. [Pinyin]

      Why are you so hoarse? —From singing.

      是我打的稿子，他上的色。 [MSC, trad. and simp.]

      Shì wǒ dǎ de gǎozi, tā shàng de sè. [Pinyin]

      It was I who worked up the sketch and he who filled in the colours.

      他是昨天進的城。 [MSC, trad.]
      他是昨天进的城。 [MSC, simp.]

      Tā shì zuótiān jìn de chéng. [Pinyin]

      He went to town yesterday.

      (literally, “It's yesterday that he went to town.”)

      我是在車站打的票。 [MSC, trad.]
      我是在车站打的票。 [MSC, simp.]

      Wǒ shì zài chēzhàn dǎ de piào. [Pinyin]

      I bought the ticket at the station.

      (literally, “It's in the station that I bought the ticket.”)

3. (informal) Used to express multiplication or addition. and, by

   這間屋子是五米的三米，合十五平方米。 [MSC, trad.]
   这间屋子是五米的三米，合十五平方米。 [MSC, simp.]

   Zhè jiān wūzǐ shì wǔ mǐ de sān mǐ, hé shíwǔ píngfāngmǐ. [Pinyin]

   This room is five metres by three, or fifteen square metres.

   兩個的三個，一共五個。 [MSC, trad.]
   两个的三个，一共五个。 [MSC, simp.]

   Liǎng ge de sān ge, yīgòng wǔ ge. [Pinyin]

   Two pieces and three pieces—there are five in all.

• (possession particle): 的 is usually omitted when referring to a close relationship (family, close friends) or to an institutional or organizational relationship (school, work).

  這是我媽媽／这是我妈妈  ―  zhè shì wǒ māma  ―  This is my mother

  這是我們學校／这是我们学校  ―  zhè shì wǒmen xuéxiào  ―  This is our school

• (particle linking a noun and an adjective): 的 is omitted if it is used with a single-syllable adjective.

  壞人／坏人  ―  huàirén  ―  bad person

• It must be used when the adjective has more than one syllable or if the adjective is qualified by an adverb.

  奇怪的人  ―  qíguài de rén  ―  strange person

  很好的茶  ―  hěn hǎo de chá  ―  a very good tea

• 的 is also omitted when the association is frequent

  中國人／中国人  ―  zhōngguórén  ―  Chinese people

• When necessary, the character 的 is referred to as 白勺的 (bái sháo de) to differentiate it from the homophones 得 (雙人得／双人得 (shuāng rén dé)) and 地 (土也地 (tǔ yě dì)). In addition, these three particles should not to be confused with each other. Compare these three phrases:

  無奈的嘆息／无奈的叹息  ―  wúnài de tànxī  ―  helpless sigh

  無奈地嘆息／无奈地叹息  ―  wúnài de tànxī  ―  sigh helplessly

  無奈得嘆息／无奈得叹息  ―  wúnài de tànxī  ―  feel helpless with sighing

• In Mandarin slang usage, 的 can be pronounced as di, and substituted by the character 滴 (dī) in writing:

  好滴  ―  hǎo di  ―  okay (where the standard form is "好的")

• Wutunhua: -de
• → Khmer: ទី (tii)

Phonetic syllable used to transcribe certain syllables in foreign loanwords.

的

1. Used in transcription.

   的士  ―  dīshì/díshì  ―  taxi

   的黎波里  ―  Dílíbōlǐ  ―  Tripoli

2. short for 的士 (dīshì, “taxi”)

   打的  ―  dǎdī  ―  to take/hire a taxi

• “的”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• “的”, in 教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典 [Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Hokkien), Ministry of Education, R.O.C., 2025.
• 李如龙 [Li, Ru-long], 刘福铸 [Liu, Fu-zhu], 吴华英 [Wu, Hua-ying], 黄国城 [Huang, Guo-cheng] (2019) “的”, in 莆仙方言调查报告 [Investigation Report on Puxian Dialect] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), Xiamen University Press, →ISBN, page 274.

(Fourth grade kyōiku kanji)

• Go-on: ちゃく (chaku)
• Kan-on: てき (teki, Jōyō)
• Kun: まと (mato, 的, Jōyō)、いくは (ikuha, 的)、ゆくは (yukuha, 的)

Repurposed from the target meaning, probably from Ming- and Qing-era Mandarin use of this character as a possessive or adjectivizing particle,^[1] or even earlier in the Song and Yuan eras.^[2][3] Probably also influenced in the Meiji period by the English adjective ending -tic (as in spastic, plastic, or characteristic), ultimately deriving from Ancient Greek -τικός (-tikós), used to form adjectives from verbs.^{[1][2][4][3][5]}

• IPA^(key): [te̞kʲi]

的(てき) • (-teki) -na (adnominal 的(てき)な (-teki na), adverbial 的(てき)に (-teki ni))

1. -ive, -like, -ish, -ic, -ical, -y, kind of, sort of

   Used to form 形容動詞 (keiyō dōshi, “na adjectives”) from nouns. The resulting term has a 平板型 (heiban-gata, “flat type”) or type 0 pitch accent pattern.

   中(ちゅう)国(ごく)の雰(ふん)囲(い)気(き)、中(ちゅう)国(ごく)的(てき)な雰(ふん)囲(い)気(き)

   Chūgoku no fun'iki, Chūgoku-teki na fun'iki

   China's atmosphere, a Chinese kind of atmosphere

   Used to form similar items from complex noun phrases.

   彼(かれ)の本(ほん)音(ね)的(てき)な歌詞(かし)

   kare no honne-teki na kashi

   lyrics that are like his true feelings

From Middle Chinese 的 (MC tek, literally “mark in a target, bright”).

• (Tokyo) てき [tèkí] (Heiban – [0])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [te̞kʲi]

的(てき) • (teki) 

1. target
2. bright, clear

From Old Japanese. Possibly originally a compound of 目 (ma, “eye”) +‎ 所 (to, “place”). Appears to be cognate with homophone 円 (mato, “round”, adjective, obsolete in modern Japanese).^[1]

• (Tokyo) まと [màtó] (Heiban – [0])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [ma̠to̞]

的(まと) • (mato) 

1. a target, a mark, a bullseye

   矢(や)が的(まと)に当(あ)たる。

   Ya ga mato ni ataru.

   The arrow hits the target.

2. an objective, an object (of doing something)

• (objective): 目(もく)的(てき) (mokuteki)

From Old Japanese.

• May be derived from rare archaic verb いくう (ikuu, “to shoot (an arrow) at something”, archaic spelling いくふ).^[1]

The ha element would presumably derive from the verb ending ふ (fu), which has a 未然形 (mizenkei, “incomplete form”) of ha. However, this is unlikely, as verb forms ending in -fu underwent the regular f- and h- > w- shift, which would result in a reading of *ikuwa rather than the correct ikuha.

• The above phonetic discrepancy suggests that ikuha may instead be a compound of iku + ha.

The iku element probably derives from root component いく (iku) meaning “shooting [arrows]”, as found in いくう (ikuu) and also in 戦 (ikusa, “a battle”, original meaning “the shooting of arrows”).^[1] The iku element might be related to verb 射る (iru, “to shoot an arrow”), or obsolete verb 生く (iku, “to live; to make something live, to make something go”), likely cognate with 行く (iku, “to go”).

The ha element is uncertain. It might be 端 (ha, “the edge or end of something”), from the sense “the end [of the arrow's flight]”.

• IPA^(key): [ikɯ̟ha̠]

的(いくは) • (ikuha) 

1. (archery, rare) an archery target

• 的(いくは)所(どころ) (ikuhadokoro): the location where an archery target is placed

From Old Japanese. Alteration of ikuha above. Compare the iku <> yuku alteration in the verb 行く (iku, yuku, “to go”).

• IPA^(key): [jɯ̟kɯ̟ha̠]

的(ゆくは) • (yukuha) 

1. (archery, rare) an archery target

的 (eumhun 과녁 적 (gwanyeok jeok))

1. hanja form^? of 적 (“-ive, -like, -ish, -ic, -ical, -y, kind of, sort of”)
2. hanja form^? of 적 (“target”)

的: Hán Nôm readings: đích, đét, đít, điếc, đếch, đễ

1. This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

• mục đích (目的)
• đích thực (的實)
• đích xác (的確)
• đích danh (的名)