The structural particle 的
In Chinese, 的 (de) stands between a modifier and the head noun or noun phrase and marks the relation of belonging.
In English it usually corresponds to “'s” or “of”.
Basic structure
Modifier + 的 + noun
Meaning:
someone's something
白家月的中文老师
Bai Jiayue's Chinese teacher
Structure
白家月 + 的 + 中文老师
Bai Jiayue + 的 + Chinese teacher
白家月Bai Jiayue
的marks belonging
中文老师Chinese teacher
你的名字
Your name
Structure
你 + 的 + 名字
you + 的 + name
你you
的possessive particle
名字name
When 的 may be dropped
If 的 is preceded by a personal pronoun and followed by
a kinship term
or a noun denoting a person,
then 的 may be dropped.
Structure
Personal pronoun + (的) + noun denoting a person
In such cases 的 may be left out.
我老师
My teacher
我 + 老师
my + teacher
我学生
My student
我 + 学生
my + student
你同学
Your classmate
你 + 同学
your + classmate
我妈妈
My mother
我 + 妈妈
my + mother
The rule in short
Plain possession
A + 的 + B
A's B
Examples:
白家月的中文老师
Bai Jiayue's Chinese teacher
你的名字
your name
With people and kinship
Personal pronoun + noun denoting a person
Here 的 may be dropped.
Examples:
我老师
my teacher
我学生
my student
你同学
your classmate
我妈妈
my mother