Adjective + 的 + Noun (describing a noun)
Putting an adjective before a noun
- "a beautiful girl," "a cold drink" — how do you attach an adjective to a noun?
- Chinese links them with (of / 's)的.
Adjective + (of / 's)的 + Noun
- Pattern: Adjective + (of / 's)的 + Noun.
beautiful漂亮的girl女孩儿
- pretty漂亮(of / 's)的erhua variant of 女孩女孩儿 = "a beautiful girl."
“a beautiful girl”: 漂亮 ____ 女孩儿
Adjective + 的 + Noun links the two: 漂亮的女孩儿.
Arrange: “a beautiful girl.”
Adjective + 的 + Noun: 漂亮 + 的 + 女孩儿.
(of / 's)的 can stand in for the noun
you你want要cold冷的or还是hot热的？
- cold冷(of / 's)的 = "the cold one." Adjective + (of / 's)的 on its own means "the … one(s)."
Correct or broken?
An adjective describes a noun through 的 — the describing word always comes first.
“I'll have the sweet one.” Which is right?
Adjective + 的 can stand alone for “the … one”: 甜的 = the sweet one.
When can you drop (of / 's)的?
A two-syllable adjective usually needs (of / 's)的 (pretty漂亮(of / 's)的girl女孩 ✓). A tight one-syllable pairing can drop it (good好friend朋友 "good friend"). And keep the de trio straight: this is (of / 's)的 (before a noun) — before a verb you'd use (adverb -ly)地 (conscientious认真(adverb -ly)地to learn学习).
漂亮女孩 (no 的) is the normal form for a two-syllable adjective.
A two-syllable adjective usually needs 的: 漂亮的女孩.
Recap
- Adjective + (of / 's)的 + Noun (pretty漂亮(of / 's)的erhua variant of 女孩女孩儿)
- Adjective + (of / 's)的 alone = "the … one" (我要sweet甜(of / 's)的)
- Two-syllable adj needs (of / 's)的; some one-syllable pairs drop it (good好friend朋友)
Read the full reference: HSK 3 grammar — Adj. + (of / 's)的 + Noun.