Order Of Attributives

Order of attributives

A word or phrase which modifies or restricts the subject or object is called an attributive and the word modified by the attributive is called the headword. The subject or object can have various attributives. Sometimes the attributives can be used simultaneously.

1. The order of attributives is generally as follows:

Possessives (such as “我的” “他的”) + Words indicating time and location + Demonstrative pronouns + Numeral-measure word phrases + Verb or prepositional phrases + Adjective (phrases) + Adjectives without “的” (descriptive nouns).

Note that when multiple adjectives are used, the order follows “quality/size + origin + color + shape + material“.

e.g.

我们学校那两位喜欢跳舞的年轻老师都会说汉语。7(Wǒmen xuéxiào nà liǎng wèi xǐhuān tiàowǔ de niánqīng lǎoshī dōu huì shuō hànyǔ.) The two young teachers in our school who like to dance both speak Chinese.

• Possessive + Demonstrative pronoun + Numeral-measure word phrase + Verb phrase + Adjective

>> 我们学校 + 那 + 两位 + 喜欢跳舞的 + 年轻

 

你小时候那两个爱唱歌的好朋友叫什么名字？(Nǐ xiǎoshíhòu nà liǎng gè ài chànggē de hǎo péngyǒu jiào shénme míngzì?) What were the names of your two good friends who loved to sing when you were young?

• Possessive + Time word + Demonstrative pronoun + Numeral-measure word phrase + Verb phrase + Adjective

>> 你 + 小时候 + 那+ 两个 + 爱唱歌的 + 好

 

我那两件白色长衬衫放在哪里了？ (Wǒ nà liǎng jiàn báisè cháng chènshān fàng zài nǎlǐ le?) Where are my two long white shirts?

• Possessive + Demonstrative pronoun + Numeral-measure word phrase + Adjective (color) + Adjective (shape)

>> 我 + 那 + 两件 + 白色 + 长

 

一张进口黑色圆形木头桌子。(Yī zhāng jìnkǒu hēisè yuánxíng mùtou zhuōzi.) An imported black round wooden table.

• Numeral-measure word phrase + Adjective(origin) + Adjective (color) + Adjective (shape) + Adjective (material)

>> 一张 + 进口 + 黑色 + 圆形+ 木头

 

Notice:

1) It isn’t necessary to include every single one of these attributes, when they are all present, this is the order that they should come in. If some are missing, just jump over that section and move to the next. There are no conjunction and punctuation between the attributives.

e.g.

我有一条漂亮的红裙子。(Wǒ yǒu yī tiáo piàoliang de hóng qúnzi.) I have a beautiful red dress.

• Numeral-measure word phrase + Adjective + Monosyllabic adjective

>> 一条 + 漂亮的 + 红

 

姐姐送我的新书在哪？(Jiějie sòng wǒ de xīn shū zài nǎ?) Where’s the new book my sister gave me?

• Possessive + Verb phrase + Adjective

>> 姐姐 + 送我的 + 新

 

1月1号是今年最冷的一天。(Yī yuè yī hào shì jīnnián zuì lěng de yītiān.) January 1st is the coldest day of the year.

• Time word + Adjective phrase

>> 今年 + 最冷的

 

那位戴着眼镜的白头发高个子老人就是我们老师。(Nà wèi dài zhe yǎnjìng de bái tóufà gāo gèzi lǎorén jiù shì wǒmen lǎoshī.) The tall old man with white hair and glasses is our teacher.

• Demonstrative pronoun + Measure word + Verb phrase + descriptive noun phrase + monosyllabic adjective

>> 那 + 位 + 戴着眼镜的+ 白头发、高个子 + 老

2) It must be noted that the attributive should be placed before the headword it modifies and this order can’t be reversed.

e.g.

我的汉语课很有意思。(Wǒ de hànyǔ kè hěn yǒuyìsi.) My Chinese class is very interesting.

• Attributive + head word

>> 我的 + 汉语课

✘ 汉语课的我很有意思。(Hànyǔ kè de wǒ hěn yǒuyìsi.)

 

我哥哥的书很多。(Wǒ gēge de shū hěn duō.) My brother has a lot of books.

• Attributive + head word

>> 我哥哥的+ 书

✘ 书的我哥哥很多。(Shū de wǒ gēge hěn duō.)

3) The order of numeral-measure word phrases is flexible, sometimes it follows the descriptive word. We should avoid it having multiple meanings.

e.g.

朋友送的两个杯子。(Péngyǒu sòng de liǎng gè bēizi.) Two cups from a friend.

• Attributive + head word

>> 朋友送的两个 + 杯子

 

两个朋友送的杯子。(Liǎng gè péngyǒu sòng de bēizi.) Two cups from a friend. / Cups from two friends.

• Attributive + headword

>> 两个 + 朋友送的杯子

• Attributive + headword

>> 两个 + 朋友

4) When the attributive is a pronoun: “这/那” appears in front of a numeral or measure word; or “什么/多少” appears in front of a noun.

e.g.

这本书怎么卖？(Zhè běn shū zěnme mài?) how much does this book cost?

多少钱我都不卖。(Duōshǎo qián wǒ dōu bù mài.) I will not sell it no matter how much it costs.

5) A monosyllabic adjective can modify headwords directly.

e.g.

红叶 (hóngyè) red leaves

黄衣服。(huáng yīfu.) yellow clothes.

2. Attributives of juxtaposition: if the attributives are all nouns or verbs, we generally use “、” between the attributives. And we will use “和” or “或(者)” to connect the last two attributives. The order is interchangeable.

e.g.

苹果、香蕉、西瓜的价格差不多。(Píngguǒ, xiāngjiāo, xīguā de jiàgé chàbùduō.) The prices of apples, bananas, and watermelons are same.

刮风、下雨或下雪的时候最好不要骑自行车。(Guā fēng, xià yǔ huò xià xuě de shíhòu zuì hǎo bùyào qí zìxíngchē.) It is best not to ride a bicycle when it is windy, raining or snowing.