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黑的
hēi de
What does "黑的" mean in English?
black (color)这件衣服是黑的。
This piece of clothing is black.
How to use "黑的" correctly: definitions and examples in English?
neutral
The color black, referring to something being black in color.
他穿了一件黑的外套。
He wore a black coat.
这辆车是黑的。
This car is black.
Pro Tip
Distinguishing '黑的' and '黑色的'
'黑的' is used to refer to a black thing as a noun (e.g., '我要黑的' = 'I want the black one'), while '黑色的' is an adjective modifying a noun (e.g., '黑色的衣服' = 'black clothes').
Word Origin
The phrase '黑的' is a combination of the adjective '黑' (hēi, meaning 'black') and the structural particle '的' used to nominalize adjectives in Chinese. Historically, '黑' originates from Old Chinese '黑' (OC *hɯːɡ), related to darkness or black color.
Usage Notes
In Chinese, '黑的' is commonly used to describe objects that are black in color. It is a straightforward phrase and does not carry idiomatic or metaphorical meanings in most contexts. The particle '的' is often used to turn adjectives into nouns (e.g., '红的' for 'red one', '蓝的' for 'blue one').
Word Breakdown
黑
black (color)
root的
structural particle used to nominalize adjectives
suffix汉英词典