Meanings of 得
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About 得
Podcast: 得
Podcast: 得
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AI Study Notes for 得
Learners often confuse 得 with other particles like 了 (le) and 会 (huì), which can lead to errors in sentence structure. Remember that 得 is used to indicate effects or degrees after verbs and adjectives. Common collocations include '得了' (dé le) for indicating a completed action or '得意' (dé yì) meaning 'proud.'
As an HSK Level 2 word, 得 connects well with other verbs and adjectives that express ability or necessity. Students should focus on using 得 in sentences that describe actions and their outcomes, enhancing their understanding of cause-effect relationships in Mandarin.
Learners often mistakenly omit 得 when it should be included, as in '我吃很饱' instead of '我吃得很饱.' This omission can lead to misunderstandings about the extent of the action.
Pronunciation of 得
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Etymology of 得
Originally written as 㝵. Depicts a hand (寸) grabbing a shell (貝), used as currency in ancient China, to convey the meaning "get". The 彳 (movement) component was added later.
A hand 寸 grabbing a shell 旦
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 得
Originally written as 㝵. Depicts a hand (寸) grabbing a shell (貝), used as currency in ancient China, to convey the meaning "get". The 彳 (movement) component was added later.
- 1The giveawayA hand 寸 grabbing a shell 旦
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 得? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 得
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How to say structural particle: used after a verb (or adjective as main verb), linking it to following phrase indicating effect, degree, possibility etc in Chinese
“structural particle: used after a verb (or adjective as main verb), linking it to following phrase indicating effect, degree, possibility etc” in Chinese is得
The character 得 (dé) primarily conveys the meanings of obtaining or acquiring something. It can also express necessity, indicating that one must do something or that something is needed. Additionally, it functions as a structural particle linking verbs to their effects or degrees, making it versatile in various contexts.
When to use 得
Learners often confuse 得 with other particles like 了 (le) and 会 (huì), which can lead to errors in sentence structure. Remember that 得 is used to indicate effects or degrees after verbs and adjectives. Common collocations include '得了' (dé le) for indicating a completed action or '得意' (dé yì) meaning 'proud.'
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly omit 得 when it should be included, as in '我吃很饱' instead of '我吃得很饱.' This omission can lead to misunderstandings about the extent of the action.
Write 得
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Practice writing 得 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 得
得 carries 18 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Complete the Sentence
她跑____很快。
She runs very fast.
Example Sentences for 得 (10)
Word Family of 得
Compound Meaning
What does 得 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 得
You can use 得 to link a verb with its effect, for example, '我吃得很饱' (wǒ chī dé hěn bǎo) means 'I ate until I was full.'
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