得 (de): structural particle linking a v…

Meanings

1 structural particle linking a verb or adjective to a following complement of degree, result, or possibility

Characters

得

de

structural particle (complement marker)

Examples

他跑得很快。

Tā pǎo de hěn kuài.

He runs very fast.

她说得好。

Tā shuō de hǎo.

She speaks it well.

我累得不行。

Wǒ lèi de bùxíng.

I'm exhausted beyond belief.

Tips

grammar

The de particle links a verb or adjective to a complement describing degree, result, or manner. Pattern: V/Adj + 得 + complement. 跑得快 = runs fast; 说得好 = speaks well. Negate with 不 replacing 得 for the potential complement: 看得见 (can see) vs 看不见 (can't see).

mistakes

Don't confuse the three readings. As de (toneless particle), 得 sits between a verb and its complement. As dé (rising tone), 得 is a verb meaning 'to obtain' (得到). As děi, 得 is the spoken modal 'must' (我得走了). Also distinct from the modifier particle 的 and the adverbial 地.

Components

radical

彳 chì

step; left-side stride radical

Left 彳 is the step radical — a small footstep, the left half of 行 'to walk'. Anchors 得 in the motion family: 行, 往, 待, 街, 微. The original oracle-bone 得 showed a hand grasping a cowrie while walking — going out and getting — exactly the picture the three components recreate.

semantic

旦 dàn

dawn; sun over horizon (graphic residue)

Middle 日-over-一 is now read as 旦 dawn, but historically it's a stylised residue of 貝 cowrie / money — the thing being obtained in the original oracle-bone scene. Modern shape is opaque, but historically grounds the meaning 'gain, acquire'. Pure semantic role; supplies no sound. The substitution of 旦 for 貝 happened during the bronze-script period.

semantic

寸 cùn

thumb measure; hand

Bottom-right 寸 — a hand with a marker at the wrist showing the cùn 'inch' measure-point. In 得 it functions pictographically as a hand reaching out to take. Together: 彳 going + cowrie + 寸 hand = walk out, lay your hand on it, 得 it — exactly the action of obtaining.