<p>体贴 can be a verb or an adjective. So which one is it in 体贴先生? It feels to be a verb so it's a verb + noun phrase. But no, the missing subject makes the phrase incomplete in meaning. Why is it not interpreted as an adjective? A 的 is missing in the middle.</p>
<p>Yes, 的 is not necessary in some cases, e.g. 漂亮小姐 is fine because 漂亮 can't be a verb. How the word is used mostly affects how people interpret, and unusual ones will be strange to native people.</p>
<p>In both of your example sentences 体贴 is used as a verb.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-30T00:14:27.690Z
体贴先生 is a noun, as in "他是一個体贴先生". It is adjective, if add 的 to the sentence as in  "他是一個体贴的先生". 体贴 is a verb, such as in “她很体贴她的先生".
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-30T15:57:54.657Z
@r13 Yes 体贴先生 can be a compound noun but people just won't feel that way. "他是一個体贴先生" doesn't sound native either.
lilydjwg
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-30T16:24:23.943Z
This the native speaking:  "他是一個体贴的先生", 体贴的 is adjective, which describes the noun "先生". "他是一個体贴先生", 体贴先生 is compound noun here. Both can be used when introduce a friend's husband to another friend. The former is more formal/complete than the latter, but both are fine, and used frequently.
r13
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-31T14:50:51.627Z
I meant 体贴先生 alone, not as part of a sentence.
lilydjwg
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-29T15:38:12.110Z
2021-03-29T15:38:12.110Z
lilydjwg
<p>I don't really think it is wrong.</p>
<pre><code>她很体贴先生。
</code></pre>
<p>Its translation should be: <strong>She cares about her husband very much.</strong></p>
<pre><code>她是一个体贴先生的太太。
</code></pre>
<p>Its translation should be: <strong>She is a wife who cares about her husband.</strong></p>
<p>&quot;体贴&quot; is a verb, and it means &quot;细心忖度别人的心情和处境，给予关切、照顾&quot;. For example, &quot;体贴入微&quot; &quot;他很会体贴人&quot;. (quoted from &quot;Modern Chinese Dictionary&quot;). Sometimes it can be used as a adjective, like the examples in @Tang Ho 's answer.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-03T03:03:52.833Z
2020-10-03T03:03:52.833Z
T-Pioneer
<p>体贴先生 standalone doesn't look right because it suggests that 体贴 is an adjective.</p>
<p>In the sentences  “她很体贴先生。” or &quot;她是一个体贴先生的太太。&quot;, 体贴 is used as a verb.</p>
<p> So, 体贴 can't be used as an adjective but a verb.</p>
<p>P. S. 体贴 looks like an adjective in 她很体贴.  But体贴先生 itself looks more like a verbal phrase without a subject, which suggests an incomplete sentence.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-03T02:46:32.900Z
2020-10-03T03:45:42.757Z
2020-10-03T03:45:42.757Z
dan
<p>体贴的 is an adjective for 'considerate'. There is nothing wrong with '体贴(的)先生' with 的 omitted</p>
<p>BTW, 体贴 is also a verb for &quot;show consideration for&quot;. Using a verb or noun in an adjective role is a common practice in any language</p>
<p>For example, The Host of 品城記 has a nickname 吃雞小王子 (Chicken eating little prince)-- 吃雞(eat chicken) is a verb; the former tennis champion Steffi Graf was nicknamed &quot;Miss Forehand&quot;  (正手小姐) by John McEnroe -- 正手 is a noun</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-03T03:13:57.827Z
体贴的 is not an adjective in Chinese grammar.  It's a 的 phrase that's often used to interpret adjective in English.  体贴先生, if not a name, sounds stilted.  体贴的先生 is fine.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-03T03:21:07.437Z
You are arguing 的 in 体贴的先生 should not be omitted, but people do omit 的 often in day-to-day conversation.
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-03T03:30:44.297Z
not always, sometimes you can, sometimes not.  There's no rule about it.  E. g.  坚强的人， 坚强人 is bit off. 顽强的中国人民，not 顽强中国人民.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-02T14:33:15.347Z
Is 体贴 limited to intimate relationship? For instance, can I say "老师对学生很体贴"?
Starckman
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-29T15:41:48.817Z
@starckman Yes, you can. That sentence is pretty normal. But if you say 上司对员工很体贴, it might suggest that the 上司 is expressing love to the 员工.
lilydjwg
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-03-29T19:54:04.367Z
oh, why is that? (why it's not the same meaning in both direction?)
Starckman
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-03T02:50:07.803Z
2020-10-03T03:06:38.140Z
2020-10-03T03:06:38.140Z
Tang Ho
<p>Almost everyday and everywhere, we heard someone praising a wife by saying: “她很体贴先生。” or &quot;她是一个体贴先生的太太。&quot;  If it is wrong, why people kept on using it?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-04T03:18:23.970Z
I wonder who said it's wrong. I don't think it's wrong.
joehua
<grammar>
Why "体贴先生" is wrong? And why so many people use it?
# Why "体贴先生" is wrong? And why so many people use it?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-10-03)

Almost everyday and everywhere, we heard someone praising a wife by saying: “她很体贴先生。” or "她是一个体贴先生的太太。" If it is wrong, why people kept on using it?

**Tags:** grammar

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I wonder who said it's wrong. I don't think it's wrong.  

---

## 4 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-03-29. Score: 2

体贴 can be a verb or an adjective. So which one is it in 体贴先生? It feels to be a verb so it's a verb + noun phrase. But no, the missing subject makes the phrase incomplete in meaning. Why is it not interpreted as an adjective? A 的 is missing in the middle.

Yes, 的 is not necessary in some cases, e.g. 漂亮小姐 is fine because 漂亮 can't be a verb. How the word is used mostly affects how people interpret, and unusual ones will be strange to native people.

In both of your example sentences 体贴 is used as a verb.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: 体贴先生 is a noun, as in "他是一個体贴先生". It is adjective, if add 的 to the sentence as in  "他是一個体贴的先生". 体贴 is a verb, such as in “她很体贴她的先生".  
> **username_2**: @username_3 Yes 体贴先生 can be a compound noun but people just won't feel that way. "他是一個体贴先生" doesn't sound native either.  
> **username_3**: This the native speaking:  "他是一個体贴的先生", 体贴的 is adjective, which describes the noun "先生". "他是一個体贴先生", 体贴先生 is compound noun here. Both can be used when introduce a friend's husband to another friend. The former is more formal/complete than the latter, but both are fine, and used frequently.  
> **username_2**: I meant 体贴先生 alone, not as part of a sentence.  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-10-03. Score: 1

I don't really think it is wrong.
她很体贴先生。

Its translation should be: She cares about her husband very much.
她是一个体贴先生的太太。

Its translation should be: She is a wife who cares about her husband.
"体贴" is a verb, and it means "细心忖度别人的心情和处境，给予关切、照顾". For example, "体贴入微" "他很会体贴人". (quoted from "Modern Chinese Dictionary"). Sometimes it can be used as a adjective, like the examples in @username_6 's answer.


---

### Answer by username_5 on 2020-10-03. Score: 0

体贴先生 standalone doesn't look right because it suggests that 体贴 is an adjective.

In the sentences  “她很体贴先生。” or "她是一个体贴先生的太太。", 体贴 is used as a verb.

 So, 体贴 can't be used as an adjective but a verb.

P. S. 体贴 looks like an adjective in 她很体贴. But体贴先生 itself looks more like a verbal phrase without a subject, which suggests an incomplete sentence.


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2020-10-03. Score: 0

体贴的 is an adjective for 'considerate'. There is nothing wrong with '体贴(的)先生' with 的 omitted

BTW, 体贴 is also a verb for "show consideration for". Using a verb or noun in an adjective role is a common practice in any language

For example, The Host of 品城記 has a nickname 吃雞小王子 (Chicken eating little prince)-- 吃雞(eat chicken) is a verb; the former tennis champion Steffi Graf was nicknamed "Miss Forehand" (正手小姐) by John McEnroe -- 正手 is a noun

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: 体贴的 is not an adjective in Chinese grammar.  It's a 的 phrase that's often used to interpret adjective in English.  体贴先生, if not a name, sounds stilted.  体贴的先生 is fine.  
> **username_6**: You are arguing 的 in 体贴的先生 should not be omitted, but people do omit 的 often in day-to-day conversation.  
> **username_5**: not always, sometimes you can, sometimes not.  There's no rule about it.  E. g.  坚强的人， 坚强人 is bit off. 顽强的中国人民，not 顽强中国人民.  
> **username_7**: Is 体贴 limited to intimate relationship? For instance, can I say "老师对学生很体贴"?  
> **username_2**: @starckman Yes, you can. That sentence is pretty normal. But if you say 上司对员工很体贴, it might suggest that the 上司 is expressing love to the 员工.  
> **username_7**: oh, why is that? (why it's not the same meaning in both direction?)  

---

