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

HSK 1

他跑得很快。

Tā pǎo de hěn kuài.

He runs very fast.

HSK 1

她说得好。

Tā shuō de hǎo.

She speaks it well.

HSK 2

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.