Adjectives as Attributes — Mandarin Grammar

In Mandarin Chinese, adjectives are placed before the noun they modify. The particle (de˙ㄉㄜtê) serves as a structural connector between the description (the adjective) and the object (the noun). Whether or not you need to include (de˙ㄉㄜtê) depends primarily on the length of the adjective.

Adjectives with Two or More Syllables

Most adjectives in Mandarin consist of two characters (two syllables). When a two-syllable adjective modifies a noun, (de˙ㄉㄜtê) is required to link them. Without this particle, the sentence may sound incomplete or grammatically incorrect.

漂亮的衣服
piào·liang de yī·fuㄆㄧㄠˋ·˙ㄌㄧㄤ ˙ㄉㄜㄧ·˙ㄈㄨp'iao4·liang tê yi1·fu
beautiful clothes
聪明的孩子
cōng·ming de hái·ziㄘㄨㄥ·˙ㄇㄧㄥ ˙ㄉㄜㄏㄞˊ·˙ㄗtz'ung1·ming tê hai2·tsŭ
smart child
高兴的样子
gāo·xìng de yàng·ziㄍㄠ·ㄒㄧㄥˋ ˙ㄉㄜㄧㄤˋ·˙ㄗkao1·shing4 tê yang4·tsŭ
happy appearance (look)

Single-Syllable Adjectives

Common adjectives that consist of only one character usually attach directly to the noun without (de˙ㄉㄜtê). This creates a tight compound phrase, often implying that the characteristic is a permanent or essential quality of the object.

好人
hǎo rénㄏㄠˇ ㄖㄣˊhao3 jên2
good person
新书
xīn shūㄒㄧㄣㄕㄨshin1 shu1
new book
大房子
dà fáng·ziㄉㄚˋ ㄈㄤˊ·˙ㄗta4 fang2·tsŭ
big house

However, if you want to emphasize the specific quality of a single-syllable adjective, you may sometimes add (de˙ㄉㄜtê), though the direct connection is more common in everyday speech.

Describing Colors

Colors in Mandarin can function as either single-syllable words or two-syllable words ending in (sèㄙㄜˋssê4) - color. The rule for (de˙ㄉㄜtê) follows the syllable count:

One syllable: Do not use (de˙ㄉㄜtê).
Two syllables (ending in (sèㄙㄜˋssê4)): You must use (de˙ㄉㄜtê).

红车
hóng chēㄏㄨㄥˊ ㄔㄜhung2 ch'ê1
red car
红色的车
hóng·sè de chēㄏㄨㄥˊ·ㄙㄜˋ ˙ㄉㄜㄔㄜhung2·ssê4 tê ch'ê1
red car (literally: red-colored car)
黑狗
hēi gǒuㄏㄟㄍㄡˇhei1 kou3
black dog
黑色的狗
hēi·sè de gǒuㄏㄟ·ㄙㄜˋ ˙ㄉㄜㄍㄡˇhei1·ssê4 tê kou3
black dog

Modified Adjectives

If a single-syllable adjective is modified by an adverb, such as (hěnㄏㄣˇhên3) - very or (zuìㄗㄨㄟˋtsui4) - most, the descriptive phrase becomes longer than one syllable. In this case, you must use (de˙ㄉㄜtê) to connect the phrase to the noun.

很好的朋友
hěn hǎo de péng·youㄏㄣˇ ㄏㄠˇ ˙ㄉㄜㄆㄥˊ·˙ㄧㄡhên3 hao3 tê p'êng2·yu
very good friend
最大的苹果
zuì dà de píng·guǒㄗㄨㄟˋ ㄉㄚˋ ˙ㄉㄜㄆㄧㄥˊ·ㄍㄨㄛˇtsui4 ta4 tê p'ing2·ko3
biggest apple

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Mandarin course

38 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 10. A few of them, with the words “Adjectives as Attributes” is about in bold:

她有一辆又慢又便宜的车。
tā yǒu yī liàng yòu màn yòu pián·yi·de chē.ㄊㄚㄧㄡˇ ㄧㄌㄧㄤˋ ㄧㄡˋ ㄇㄢˋ ㄧㄡˋ ㄆㄧㄢˊ·˙ㄧ·˙ㄉㄜㄔㄜ.t'a1 yu3 yi1 liang4 yu4 man4 yu4 p'ien2·yi·tê ch'ê1.
She has a slow, cheap car.
Lesson 110
你有两个非常漂亮的孩子。他们多大了？
nǐ yǒu liǎng gè fēi·cháng piào·liang·de hái·zi. tā·men duō dà le?ㄋㄧˇ ㄧㄡˇ ㄌㄧㄤˇ ㄍㄜˋ ㄈㄟ·ㄔㄤˊ ㄆㄧㄠˋ·˙ㄌㄧㄤ·˙ㄉㄜㄏㄞˊ·˙ㄗ. ㄊㄚ·˙ㄇㄣㄉㄨㄛㄉㄚˋ ˙ㄌㄜ?ni3 yu3 liang3 ko4 fei1·ch'ang2 p'iao4·liang·tê hai2·tsŭ. t'a1·mên to1 ta4 lê?
You have two very beautiful children. How old are they?
Lesson 264
我喜欢寒冷的天气。我喜欢雪和冰。
wǒ xǐ·huan hán·lěng·de tiān·qì. wǒ xǐ·huan xuě hé bīng.ㄨㄛˇ ㄒㄧˇ·˙ㄏㄨㄢㄏㄢˊ·ㄌㄥˇ·˙ㄉㄜㄊㄧㄢ·ㄑㄧˋ. ㄨㄛˇ ㄒㄧˇ·˙ㄏㄨㄢㄒㄩㄝˇ ㄏㄜˊ ㄅㄧㄥ.wo3 shi3·huan han2·lêng3·tê t'ien1·ch'i4. wo3 shi3·huan shüeh3 ho2 ping1.
I love cold weather. I love snow and ice.
Lesson 295

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