Chinese words pronounced de (any tone) 9 words, in the 3 tones de is read in. dē (1st tone) 1 words 嘚(dē) for the sound of horsehoofs 嘚(dē) for the sound of horsehoofs dé (2nd tone) 5 words 得(dé) to get 德(dé) virtue 锝(dé) technetium 㝵(dé) to obtain 淂(dé) (river) 得(dé) to get 德(dé) virtue 鍀(dé) technetium 㝵(dé) to obtain 淂(dé) (river) de (neutral tone) 4 words 的(de) marks possession and modification 地(de) -ly 得(de) links a verb to how it is done 底(de) (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle) 的(de) marks possession and modification 地(de) -ly 得(de) links a verb to how it is done 底(de) (equivalent to 的 as possessive particle)