你的
nǐ de
The English phrase 'your' is translated into Chinese as 你的 (nǐ de) or 您的.
Meaning: belonging to you (singular, one owner) (det)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 你的 | nǐ de | |
| 您的 | nín de | formal |
Both forms are used as possessive determiners to indicate that something belongs to a single person (the owner).
Which one should you use?
你的 (nǐ de) is the standard form used for one person, while 您的 (nín de) is the polite version used to show respect to a single person.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use 您的 when addressing elders, superiors or customers to show respect.
How does it change in a sentence?
The possessive particle 的 (de) can often be omitted when describing close personal relationships, such as saying 'your mother' as 你妈妈 instead of 你的妈妈.
How do you pronounce it?
nǐ de
Did you know?
- The character for the polite 'your' 您 is visually the character for 'you' 你 with the radical for 'heart' 心 placed underneath it, literally putting the person in one's heart.
- Using the polite 您的 in a very casual setting with a close friend can actually be a joke or a way of being 'mockingly' formal and sarcastic.
- The polite form 您 was historically used primarily in northern China and Beijing, while speakers in the south traditionally relied more on titles or specific honorifics to show respect.
Examples in context
- 您的家在哪？Where is your house?This sentence is useful for asking about the location of someone's house using the formal 您的.Tatoeba #1440417 by egg0073, translation #370706 by saeb
- 闭上你的嘴。Shut your mouth.This sentence is useful for a command using the standard 你的.Tatoeba #1691765 by sadhen, translation #240561 by CK
- 你的船不大。Your boat is not big.This sentence is useful for describing the size of a boat using the standard 你的.Tatoeba #3376512 by go_oo, translation #6443372 by RudeGuyGames
- 1375 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
In a classroom, Zhiqiang finds a notebook.
- 志强 Zhiqiang这是你的笔记本吗？Zhè shì nǐ de bǐjìběn ma?Is this your notebook?
- 雨婷 Yuting是的，谢谢你。Shì de, xièxiè nǐ.Yes, thank you.
- 志强 Zhiqiang不客气。Bù kèqì.You're welcome.
- 雨婷 Yuting你的笔记本也很好看。Nǐ de bǐjìběn yě hěn hǎokàn.Your notebook is also very nice-looking.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “your” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
