<p>In Chinese, noun phrases in the form:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>nominal modifier + 的 + noun</p>
</blockquote>
<p>may drop the noun when:</p>
<ol>
<li>it's clear enough from the context</li>
<li>it's a term very generic in meaning</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>Clear from the context</strong></p>
<p>This is the case where a noun is dropped to avoid unnecessary repetition.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>这本书很有意思，谁写的（书）</p>
<p>This book is very interesting, who wrote <strong>it</strong>? (Who wrote the book)</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Very generic in meaning</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>你要按照我说的 (话）...</p>
</blockquote>
<p>As in your case, the generic nature of the noun may be given by two factors:</p>
<ol>
<li>it's actually a generic term, as 事情 (matter)，东西 (thing), sometimes 人 (person, guy). It can be translated in English as a relative pronoun, e.g. &quot;what&quot;:</li>
</ol>
<blockquote>
<p>他建议的（事情 / 东西 / 意见），我不太了解</p>
<p>I don't really understand <strong>what</strong> he's suggesting</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>昨天我遇到的（人）就是陈杰最好的朋友</p>
<p><strong>The person</strong> / <strong>Whom</strong> I met yesterday is actually Chen Jie's best friend</p>
</blockquote>
<ol start="2">
<li>it's the object of a <a href="https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Separable_verb" rel="nofollow noreferrer">separable verb</a> (because it has a generic unspecified meaning)</li>
</ol>
<blockquote>
<p>我每天吃的（饭）是我娘做的（东西）</p>
<p><strong>The food</strong> / <strong>What</strong> I eat every day is <strong>what</strong> my mum prepares</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-03T14:20:14.103Z
2020-08-03T14:20:14.103Z
blackgreen
<p>The context of 我说的 in this sentence could be orders(命令), instructions(指示), teaching(教導), advices(建議), etc. It should go back to previous diaglog to know exactly what 我说的 is.</p>
<p>說 is a verb. It refers to an ACTION. Similar to SAY, SPEAK, TALK, TELL etc.</p>
<p>&quot;你要按照我说的做并且要做好&quot; means I have told you the orders(命令) or instructions(指示) or teaching(教導) or advices(建議) BEFORE. You should follow it and get things perfectly done.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-08-03T15:25:40.857Z
2020-08-03T15:34:18.497Z
2020-08-03T15:34:18.497Z
HungYu Chang
<p>I saw that phrase while I was studying and I don't understand.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>你要按照我<em>说的</em>做并且要做好。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Why 说的 not only 说?
What does 的 mean in that phrase?</p>

<grammar><particles>
Why 说的 and not only 说 in 你要按照我说的做并且要做好?
# Why 说的 and not only 说 in 你要按照我说的做并且要做好?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-08-03)

I saw that phrase while I was studying and I don't understand.

> 你要按照我*说的*做并且要做好。

Why 说的 not only 说?
What does 的 mean in that phrase?

**Tags:** grammar, particles


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-08-03. Score: 2

In Chinese, noun phrases in the form:

> nominal modifier + 的 + noun

may drop the noun when:

1. it's clear enough from the context
2. it's a term very generic in meaning

**Clear from the context**

This is the case where a noun is dropped to avoid unnecessary repetition.

> 这本书很有意思，谁写的（书）
>
> This book is very interesting, who wrote **it**? (Who wrote the book)

**Very generic in meaning**

> 你要按照我说的 (话）...

As in your case, the generic nature of the noun may be given by two factors:

1. it's actually a generic term, as 事情 (matter)，东西 (thing), sometimes 人 (person, guy). It can be translated in English as a relative pronoun, e.g. "what":

> 他建议的（事情 / 东西 / 意见），我不太了解
>
> I don't really understand **what** he's suggesting

> 昨天我遇到的（人）就是陈杰最好的朋友
>
> **The person** / **Whom** I met yesterday is actually Chen Jie's best friend

2. it's the object of a [separable verb](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Separable_verb) (because it has a generic unspecified meaning)

> 我每天吃的（饭）是我娘做的（东西）
>
> **The food** / **What** I eat every day is **what** my mum prepares


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### Answer by username_2 on 2020-08-03. Score: 1

The context of 我说的 in this sentence could be orders(命令), instructions(指示), teaching(教導), advices(建議), etc. It should go back to previous diaglog to know exactly what 我说的 is.

說 is a verb. It refers to an ACTION. Similar to SAY, SPEAK, TALK, TELL etc.

"你要按照我说的做并且要做好" means I have told you the orders(命令) or instructions(指示) or teaching(教導) or advices(建議) BEFORE. You should follow it and get things perfectly done.


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