Comprehensive Guide to Nouns Ending With 的 de

Basic Words

男的 nánde – guy

女的 nǚde – girl

吃的 chīde – things to eat

喝的 hēde – things to drink

玩的 wánde – places to have fun; fun things to do

公的 gōngde – male (animal)

母的 mǔde – female (animal)

亲爱的 qīn’àide – darling; honey; dear

相好的 xiānghǎode – boyfriend/girlfriend; partner

荤的 hūnde – meat dish

素的 sùde – vegetarian dish

 

People On The Street

过路的 guòlùde – passerby

骂街的 màjiēde – person shouting abuse on the street

遛弯儿的 liùwānrde – person going for a walk (Beijing dialect)

遛狗的 liùgǒude – person walking their dog

打头的 dǎtóude – person standing at the front of a line

要饭的 yàofànde / 讨饭的 tǎofànde – beggar

 

Occupations

做买卖的 zuòmǎimàide – businessperson

管账的 guǎnzhàngde – accountant

当兵的 dāngbīngde – soldier

种地的 zhòngdìde / 种田的zhòngtiánde – farmer

收破烂的 shōupòlànde – garbage collector

杀猪的 shāzhūde – butcher

算命的 suànmìngde / 算卦的 suànguàde – fortuneteller

看门的 kānménde – gatekeeper; door attendant

办事的 bànshìde – office worker

打铁的 dǎtiěde – blacksmith

剃头的 tìtóude – barber

要账的 yàozhàngde /要钱的 yàoqiánde – debt collector

卖艺的 màiyìde – street artist

拉车的 lāchēde – rickshaw driver

说书的 shuōshūde – storyteller

送水的 sòngshuǐde / 挑水的 tiāoshuǐde – someone who delivers drinking water to one’s home

倒水的 dàoshuǐde – someone who pours water

淘粪的 táofènde / 挑大粪的 tiǎodàfènde (in North-East China) – someone who collects human waste for use as fertiliser

管事的 guǎnshìde – someone with high-level responsibility in the government (i.e. an official) or in a company

掌柜的 zhǎngguìde – shopkeeper (old-fashioned)

女掌柜的 nǚzhǎngguìde – female shopkeeper (old-fashioned)

跑堂的 pǎotángde – waiter (old-fashioned), same as 小二 xiǎoèr

 

Curse Words

狗日的 gǒurìde – literally 狗 (“dog; despicable”) + 日 (“fuck”) – motherfucker

狗娘养的 gǒuniángyǎngde – literally – 狗 (“dog; despicable”) + 娘 (“mother”) + 养 (“to raise”) – bastard – synonym – 狗杂种 gǒuzázhǒng – literally “mixed-breed dog”

杀千刀的 shāqiāndāode – literally “[one who needs to be] killed with the cuts of a thousand knifes” – bastard; son-of-a-bitch

 

Quirky Words

带把儿的 dàibàrde –literally “with a handle” – a baby boy

当家的 dāngjiādede – literally “[one who] manages home” – the one who manages the household

少当家的 shàodāngjiāde – the son (少shào) of the person who manages the household

掌勺的 zhǎngsháode –literally “holding a spoon” – the one who does the cooking at home

吃软饭的 chīruǎnfànde – literally “[one who] eats soft rice” – someone who lives off a woman

垫背的 diànbèide – literally refers to belongings put under a body after death – metaphorically refers to someone who is made to share the fault or guilt of others; a scapegoat