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Choosing Mnemonics

Pick the mnemonic story that sticks best for you by clicking its ☆ — there's no wrong choice, and you'll be able to write your own soon. Then press Continue.

= di + Ø1
see 的士[di1 shi4]
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= di + Ø2
really and truly
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de = d + e5
of; ~'s (possessive particle) / (used after an attribute) / (used to form a nominal expression) / (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) / also pr. [di4] or [di5] in poetry and songs
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= di + Ø4
(bound form) bull's-eye; target
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How to pronounce 的

MandarinBanana teaches pronunciation with the Marilyn Method: every Pinyin syllable is one initial plus one final, the initial becomes a person, an animal or a deity, and the final becomes a place in your memory palace — with the tone deciding which part of that place the scene happens in. Remember the little story below for each half and the whole syllable comes back with them.

= d initial

D is for Don Quixote.

By Matthias • updated 3 months ago
+ e5 final

On the elevator’s roof.

By Matthias • updated 3 months ago
= di initial

Di is for Dorothy Gale.

By Matthias • updated 5 months ago
+ Ø1 final

In front of the space station.

By Matthias • updated about 2 months ago
= di initial

Di is for Dorothy Gale.

By Matthias • updated 5 months ago
+ Ø2 final

In the space station’s kitchen.

By Matthias • updated 3 months ago
= di initial

Di is for Dorothy Gale.

By Matthias • updated 5 months ago
+ Ø4 final

In the space station’s bathroom.

By Matthias • updated about 2 months ago

的 character breakdown

Chinese characters are built out of smaller characters. Each component carries a mnemonic symbol - one concrete object that stands in for it - and a mnemonic story hands those objects to the person and the place that stand for the pronunciation. Learn a component once and every character that reuses it gets easier.

Component Translations
sháo = sh + ao2
spoon / ladle / CL:把[ba3] / abbr. for 公勺[gong1 shao2], centiliter (unit of volume)
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bái = b + ai2
white / snowy / pure / bright / empty / blank / plain / clear / to make clear / in vain / gratuitous / free of charge / reactionary / anti-communist / funeral / to stare coldly / to write wrong character / to state / to explain / vernacular / spoken lines in opera
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Characters with 的 as component

= di + Ø1
some / few / a little (Cantonese)
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= di + Ø4
(literary) lotus seed / Taiwan pr. [di1]
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Words with 的

show 237 more
yes, that's right / variant of 似的[shi4 de5]
(taboo curse) damn it! / fucking
else / other

Sentences with 的

ǎn
lǎo
sūn
de
huán
dāo
lái

Want to remember 的 for good?

Make it your learning target and MandarinBanana works out the shortest route to it: the two sounds its syllable is built from, then the components of the character itself, one short step at a time. No account needed to start.

/ / de /

4 translations

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