之
zhī
(literary) possessive particle; him, her, it
How to express possession with 之 (zhī) in Chinese
Noun A + 之 (zhī) + Noun B (classical possessive)
之 (zhī) — possessive “of”
HSK 6Particles
Noun A + 之 (zhī) + Noun B (classical possessive)
HSK 6Particles之 (zhī) — possessive “of”
Rule structure
之 (zhī) is a classical Chinese possessive particle equivalent to modern 的 (de). It is used in formal, literary, or fixed expressions and sounds more elegant and concise.
Rule structure
之 (zhī) is a classical Chinese possessive particle equivalent to modern 的 (de). It is used in formal, literary, or fixed expressions and sounds more elegant and concise.
Examples
父母之爱很伟大。
Fùmǔ zhī ài hěn wěidà.
Parental love is great.
Examples
父母之爱很伟大。
Fùmǔ zhī ài hěn wěidà.
Parental love is great.
Practice
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Characters
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Frequently asked questions
How do you say “possessive ‘of’” in Chinese with 之?
Use the structure: Noun A + 之 (zhī) + Noun B (classical possessive). For example: 父母之爱很伟大。 — “Parental love is great”.
What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?
父母之爱很伟大。 — “Parental love is great”.
Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?
This grammar rule is part of HSK 6.
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More HSK 6 grammar rules
与否 — whether or not
Verb / Adj. + 与否 (yǔfǒu) — formal "whether or not"
嘛 — self-evident statement
Statement + 嘛 (ma) — obviousness
是否 — is or is not, whether
是否 (shìfǒu) + Verb / Adj. (formal "whether")
无非 — nothing but
无非 (wúfēi) + Noun / Clause (dismissive)
以及 — as well as
Noun A + 以及 (yǐjí) + Noun B
何况 — let alone
Clause A, 何况 (hékuàng) + Clause B (even more so)
则 — contrast, “whereas”
Topic A + 则 (zé) + Comment / Verb
凡是 — all, every
凡是 (fánshì) + Noun Phrase, 都 (dōu) + Verb