<p>Single character adjectives do not need possessive 的 when it is connected to single character nouns</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>利刀， 大樹，好人</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Single character adjectives do not need possessive 的 when it is connected to multiple characters nouns</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>利斧頭，大樹屋(tree house)，好女兒</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Two characters adjectives need possessive 的 when connected to single character nouns</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>鋒利的刀, 巨大的樹， 混亂的心，cannot be reduced to 鋒利刀, 巨大樹， 混亂心</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Two characters adjectives do not need possessive 的 when connected to two characters nouns</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>鋒利武器，重大事件，混亂心情</p>
</blockquote>

<p>An adjective phrase contains more than one or more individual descriptions need possessive 的 when connected to nouns</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>鋒利(而)昴貴的武器， 强大(而)勇敢的人 cannot be reduced to 鋒利(而)昴貴武器，强大(而)勇敢人</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>If you can insert 而 between the two descriptions, you need the possessive 的</em></p>

<p>Note:</p>

<p>When you can bond an adjective and noun into a single common
term, the possessive 的 would not be needed</p>

<p>強大的人 --> 強人</p>

<p>高大的樹 --> 大樹</p>

<p>巨大的石頭 --> 巨石</p>

<p>春天的雨 --> 春雨 </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>強人(strongman)，大樹 (tall tree)，巨石 (boulder)，春雨(spring rain) are all common terms, </p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-18T15:16:19.387Z
What about with these?  中文男朋友，美國女朋友
MuchAppreciated25
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-18T15:19:01.697Z
And is it okay, when it doubt, to add  的 in between adj + noun just to be safe? Would it severely alter the meaning when used but not needed? (I guess just sounds a bit clunky/redundant)
MuchAppreciated25
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-18T15:22:29.737Z
Lastly would another example of a "common term" be 語法書？No need for 的， 對吧？ Thank you so much for all your help
MuchAppreciated25
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-18T18:00:50.077Z
In daily conversation, '說中文的男朋友' and  '來自美國的女朋友' can be reduced to '中文男友' and '美國女友' , We shorten long sentences all the time. Adding 的 when it is not needed just show you are not native speaker, eventually you will learn to drop 的 as much as possible
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-18T18:10:42.823Z
語法書 is valid for another reason--   because 語法 is a noun, Put it  in front of 書 to describe it make it a [adjectival noun], adjectival nouns do not need possessive 的, Example: 美國女友, 春雨, 醫學書藉，法國餐
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-05-17T20:47:12.153Z
2020-05-17T20:52:24.717Z
2020-05-17T20:52:24.717Z
Tang Ho
<p>In <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/22204/why-there-is-no-%E7%9A%84-after-%E4%BD%A0-in-%E4%BD%A0%E5%9B%BD%E5%AE%B6%E7%9A%84%E5%8C%BB%E9%99%A2%E5%A5%BD%E5%90%97">this post</a> on the omission of the possessive 的，I came across an explanation of the adjective suffix 的 by Tang Ho. An example was:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>强大勇敢 (brave + strong) = correct without 的</p>
<p>强大勇敢的人 (brave and strong man) = correct with 的</p>
<p>强大勇敢人 (X) *requires 的 to connect brave + strong with 人</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Later in the explanation:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Adjectives that do not need adjective suffix can directly apply to the object 【meaning no need for 的】</p>
</blockquote>
<p>For example, 好 in 好女兒 (good daughter) does not necessitate the use of 的。 It's just understood that 好 connects with 女兒。</p>
<p>Why does 高大的人 require 的 whereas 好女兒 does not? How can you tell whether an adjective requires a suffix such as 的？</p>

<grammar><usage><adjectives>
When does an adjective require 的 to describe a noun?
# When does an adjective require 的 to describe a noun?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-05-17)

In [this post](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/22204/why-there-is-no-%E7%9A%84-after-%E4%BD%A0-in-%E4%BD%A0%E5%9B%BD%E5%AE%B6%E7%9A%84%E5%8C%BB%E9%99%A2%E5%A5%BD%E5%90%97) on the omission of the possessive 的，I came across an explanation of the adjective suffix 的 by Tang Ho. An example was:

> 强大勇敢 (brave + strong) = correct without 的
>
> 强大勇敢的人 (brave and strong man) = correct with 的
>
> 强大勇敢人 (X) \*requires 的 to connect brave + strong with 人

Later in the explanation:

> Adjectives that do not need adjective suffix can directly apply to the object 【meaning no need for 的】

For example, 好 in 好女兒 (good daughter) does not necessitate the use of 的。 It's just understood that 好 connects with 女兒。

Why does 高大的人 require 的 whereas 好女兒 does not? How can you tell whether an adjective requires a suffix such as 的？

**Tags:** grammar, usage, adjectives

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-05-17. Score: 5 | Accepted answer

Single character adjectives do not need possessive 的 when it is connected to single character nouns

> 利刀， 大樹，好人

Single character adjectives do not need possessive 的 when it is connected to multiple characters nouns

> 利斧頭，大樹屋(tree house)，好女兒

Two characters adjectives need possessive 的 when connected to single character nouns

> 鋒利的刀, 巨大的樹， 混亂的心，cannot be reduced to 鋒利刀, 巨大樹， 混亂心

Two characters adjectives do not need possessive 的 when connected to two characters nouns

> 鋒利武器，重大事件，混亂心情

An adjective phrase contains more than one or more individual descriptions need possessive 的 when connected to nouns

> 鋒利(而)昴貴的武器， 强大(而)勇敢的人 cannot be reduced to 鋒利(而)昴貴武器，强大(而)勇敢人

*If you can insert 而 between the two descriptions, you need the possessive 的*

Note:

When you can bond an adjective and noun into a single common
term, the possessive 的 would not be needed

強大的人 --> 強人

高大的樹 --> 大樹

巨大的石頭 --> 巨石

春天的雨 --> 春雨

> 強人(strongman)，大樹 (tall tree)，巨石 (boulder)，春雨(spring rain) are all common terms,

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: What about with these?  中文男朋友，美國女朋友  
> **username_0**: And is it okay, when it doubt, to add  的 in between adj + noun just to be safe? Would it severely alter the meaning when used but not needed? (I guess just sounds a bit clunky/redundant)  
> **username_0**: Lastly would another example of a "common term" be 語法書？No need for 的， 對吧？ Thank you so much for all your help  
> **username_1**: In daily conversation, '說中文的男朋友' and  '來自美國的女朋友' can be reduced to '中文男友' and '美國女友' , We shorten long sentences all the time. Adding 的 when it is not needed just show you are not native speaker, eventually you will learn to drop 的 as much as possible  
> **username_1**: 語法書 is valid for another reason--   because 語法 is a noun, Put it  in front of 書 to describe it make it a [adjectival noun], adjectival nouns do not need possessive 的, Example: 美國女友, 春雨, 醫學書藉，法國餐  

---

