The structural particle that bridges an action to its result or quality — how well, how fast, how beautifully something was done.
概览gàilǎnWhat 得 Does
语法洞见 yǔfǎ dòngjiàn · Grammar Insight
In Mandarin, the particle 得 de (neutral tone) marks the beginning of a degree complement (程度补语 chéngdù bǔyǔ) or a result/potential complement. This page covers the degree complement — describing how well or in what manner an action was performed.
The core pattern is V + 得 + Description: the verb comes first, then 得, then an adjective or phrase that evaluates the quality of that verb. "She sings well" → 她唱得很好. "He runs fast" → 他跑得很快. "They spoke [in a way that was] very lively" → 他们说得很生动.
Note: 得 here is NOT the same as 得 dé (to get; to obtain) or 得 děi (must; have to). All three are written identically but are different words. Context and tone disambiguate.
V + 得 + AdjV + de + Adjverbs in a manner that is ___
Structure 句型 jùxíng
得 bridges the verb to a phrase describing the quality or degree of the action. The description after 得 can be an adjective, adverb + adjective, or a clause. The description modifies the manner of the action — not the action itself.
她写得很漂亮。
Tā xiě de hěn piàoliang.
She writes beautifully. (Her writing is beautiful.)
他们跑得非常快。
Tāmen pǎo de fēicháng kuài.
They run extremely fast.
这道菜做得真好吃！
Zhè dào cài zuò de zhēn hǎochī!
This dish is cooked really deliciously!
老师讲得很清楚。
Lǎoshī jiǎng de hěn qīngchǔ.
The teacher explains very clearly.
语法 yǔfǎ · Key Point
The adverb 很 hěn is usually required before adjectives in complements (unless another adverb replaces it). ✓ 写得很好 ✓ 写得非常好 ✓ 写得不好 — but ✗ 写得好 (sounds incomplete without a following contrast). Exception: 极了 and similar intensifiers don't need 很: 写得好极了 "written superbly."
宾语bīnyǔWith Objects — The Repeated Verb
带宾语的句型 dài bīnyǔ de jùxíng · Pattern with Object
When the verb has an object, the verb must be repeated: Subject + V + Object + V + 得 + Adj
Or alternatively: Subject + Object + V + 得 + Adj (topic-comment structure)
V + Obj + V + 得 + Adjrepeated-verb patternThe verb repetition pattern
Structure 句型 jùxíng
When the verb takes a direct object, 得 cannot follow both verb and object. Solution: repeat the verb after the object, then attach 得. Alternatively, move the object to topic position before the subject.
她说中文说得很流利。
Tā shuō Zhōngwén shuō de hěn liúlì.
She speaks Chinese fluently. (verb repeated)
他踢足球踢得非常好。
Tā tī zúqiú tī de fēicháng hǎo.
He plays football extremely well. (verb repeated)
中文她说得很流利。
Zhōngwén tā shuō de hěn liúlì.
Chinese — she speaks it fluently. (topic-comment)
语法 yǔfǎ · Why Repeat?
In Chinese grammar, the degree complement 得+Adj must directly follow a bare verb (no object between them). The object creates a gap, so the verb is repeated to "re-attach" 得. Both the repeated-verb form and the topic-comment form are correct and common.
问句wènjùQuestions & Negation
V + 得 + 怎么样？V + de + zěnmeyàng?How well does/did ___ do ___?
Question pattern
怎么样 zěnmeyàng (how; what's it like?) is the standard question word for degree complements. 你说得怎么样？ "How well do you speak it?"
他唱得怎么样？— 唱得很好！
Tā chàng de zěnmeyàng? — Chàng de hěn hǎo!
How does he sing? — He sings very well!
考试考得怎么样？— 考得还可以。
Kǎoshì kǎo de zěnmeyàng? — Kǎo de hái kěyǐ.
How did the exam go? — It went okay.
V + 得 + 不 + Adj (negation)V + de + bù + Adjdoes not ___ in a ___ way
Negation pattern
To negate, place 不 before the adjective in the complement: 写得不好 "writes not well" · 说得不清楚 "speaks not clearly." The 不 negates the quality, not the verb. ✓ 写得不好 ✗ 不写得好 (wrong position).
他今天跑得不太快。
Tā jīntiān pǎo de bù tài kuài.
He didn't run very fast today.
这道题我做得不对。
Zhè dào tí wǒ zuò de bù duì.
I got this problem wrong.
副词fùcí地 vs. 得 — Modifying the Verb vs. Evaluating the Result
地 vs. 得 · The Critical DistinctionAdj + 地 + Verb → adverb before the verb (how you do something as you do it)
认真地学习 "to study diligently" — 地 describes your manner while studying
Verb + 得 + Adj → degree complement after the verb (evaluation of the result)
学习得很认真 "studied in a diligent way" — 得 evaluates how the studying came out
辨析 biànxī · 地/得 Minimal Pair
她快乐地唱歌。 Tā kuàilè de chànggē. — She sings happily. (She is happy while singing — 地 modifies the manner)
她歌唱得很好。 Tā gēchàng de hěn hǎo. — She sings very well. (Her singing results in being good — 得 evaluates the outcome)
The distinction is time and viewpoint: 地 describes the manner during the action; 得 evaluates the result or quality of the action. In speech they sound identical (both are neutral-tone "de") — context and position clarify.
例句lìjùExtended Natural Examples
Natural 得-sentencesnatural usageDegree complements in real contexts
Examples 例句
A range of natural sentences showing how 得-complements appear across contexts.
今天热得我不想出门。
Jīntiān rè de wǒ bù xiǎng chū mén.
Today is so hot that I don't want to go out. [结果从句 result clause]