我的
wǒ de
In Chinese, the phrase for 'my' is 我的 (wǒ de).
我的 is used as a possessive determiner to indicate that something belongs to the speaker. In informal conversations, speakers often omit the possessive particle 的 and simply use the pronoun 我 to mean 'my'. Additionally, when referring to people with whom you have a close relationship, such as family members or close friends, the particle 的 is frequently omitted. For instance, one might say 我妈妈 instead of 我的妈妈.
Meaning: belonging to me (det)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the pronoun 我 (wǒ), meaning 'I' or 'me' and the possessive particle 的 (de).
How does it change in a sentence?
In Chinese, the possessive particle 的 is used to turn a pronoun into a possessive adjective.
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ de
Did you know?
- The character 我 is a pictograph that originally depicted a jagged weapon or a halberd. Over centuries, this symbol for a weapon shifted in meaning to represent the first-person pronoun 'I'.
- While English speakers use 'my' to show ownership, in Chinese, omitting 的 with certain nouns is a way to signal that the person is an inseparable part of your identity.
- When expressing 'my' in the context of a mistake, such as 我的错, the phrase often functions as a social tool for 'saving face' by taking immediate responsibility.
Examples in context
- 那是我的猫。That's my cat.This sentence shows how to use 我的 to indicate possession of an animal.Tatoeba #471765 by GlossaMatik, translation #471758 by CM
- 都是我的错。It's all my fault.This sentence uses 我的 to express responsibility for a mistake.Tatoeba #707263 by Yashanti, translation #707265 by CK
- 这是我的错。It's my fault.This sentence demonstrates a simple way to use 我的 to claim a fault.Tatoeba #790573 by GlossaMatik, translation #660437 by CM
- 这是 我的 书。This is my book.
- 这是 我 的朋友。This is my friend.
- 2111 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are looking at a bag on a table.
- 梓涵 Zihan这是我的书包吗？Zhè shì wǒ de shūbāo ma?Is this my backpack?
- 浩然 Haoran不是，那是我的。Bú shì, nà shì wǒ de.No, that is mine.
- 梓涵 Zihan对不起，我拿错了。Duìbuqǐ, wǒ ná cuò le.Sorry, I took the wrong one.
- 浩然 Haoran没关系。Méi guānxi.It's okay.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
