得 (dé) - to obtain, to get, to gain & can, may

得Tone 2

dé ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

得 · dé

to obtain, to get, to gain;

can, may;

must;

satisfied, content;

structural particle used before a verb to indicate possibility or result

to obtain, to get, to gaincan, maymust

Usage highlights

to obtainto gain profitto feel satisfiedmustto acquireto deserve

Synonyms

  • 获— to obtain, to acquire
  • 取— to take, to get
  • 收— to receive, to collect

Antonyms

  • 失— to lose, to miss
  • 丢— to lose, to throw away
  • 弃— to abandon, to discard

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I got a good score (得到好成绩).
  • We must study hard (得努力学习).
  • He runs very fast (他跑得很快).
  • She looks very happy (她看起来很高兴).

Collocations

  • to obtain(得到)
  • to gain profit(得利)
  • to feel satisfied(得意)
  • must(必须得)
  • to acquire(获得)
  • to deserve(应得)

Idioms

  • To reap without sowing(不劳而获)
  • To be complacent(得意洋洋)
  • To have both fame and gain(名利双收)
  • To be forced to do something(不得已而为之)
  • To be well-matched in a contest(棋逢对手)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Confucian philosophy, the concept of 'de' (virtue) is closely related to the idea of obtaining moral excellence.
  • The character appears in many Chinese idioms expressing the balance between effort and reward.
  • In traditional Chinese culture, obtaining things through proper means is highly valued over undeserved gains.

FAQ