得了 déle

得了（déle）means “that's enough, all right (stop it, or let it drop; tone word)”. 得了 (read déle) is a colloquial exclamation used to stop someone — 'that's enough / all right, cut it out' — often when their talk or behavior is excessive, and it can also signal dropping a matter. Formation: 得了（，别……了）（够了/行了，制止或作罢，语气）

that's enough, all right (stop it, or let it drop; tone word)

HSK6

Formation

得了（，别……了）（够了/行了，制止或作罢，语气）

Explanation

得了 (read déle) is a colloquial exclamation used to stop someone — 'that's enough / all right, cut it out' — often when their talk or behavior is excessive, and it can also signal dropping a matter. It shows mild impatience or a wish to wrap things up. It usually stands alone at the head of the utterance, before an instruction like 别…了. Distinguish from the verb-complement 得了 (déliǎo, 'can be done/managed').

Examples

得了，别说了，我知道错了。
déle, bié shuō le, wǒ zhīdào cuò le.
All right, stop talking — I know I was wrong.
得了 吧，你就别谦虚了。
déle ba, nǐ jiù bié qiānxū le.
Come off it — stop being so modest.

Note

Colloquial; read déle here (not déliǎo). Often precedes 别…了.

FAQ

得了 — what does it mean and how is it used?

that's enough, all right (stop it, or let it drop; tone word). 得了 (read déle) is a colloquial exclamation used to stop someone — 'that's enough / all right, cut it out' — often when their talk or behavior is excessive, and it can also signal dropping a matter. It shows mild impatience or a wish to wrap things up. It usually stands alone at the head of the utterance, before an instruction like 别…了. Distinguish from the verb-complement 得了 (déliǎo, 'can be done/managed').

得了 — how do you form it?

得了（，别……了）（够了/行了，制止或作罢，语气）

得了 — any usage notes?

Colloquial; read déle here (not déliǎo). Often precedes 别…了.

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