15 Adjective + Formal Noun 'の'

Grammar

Grammar: Adjective "い" + Formal Noun "の"
Detailed Structure: Adjective (in its attributive form) + Formal Noun "の"
When an adjective (in its attributive form) is followed by the formal noun "の," it indicates that a noun has been omitted. For example, the sentence "The black cat in the photo is our cat" can be shortened to "The black one in the photo is our cat."

Example

Usage of the Formal Noun "の"

The formal noun "の" can represent something concrete or abstract. This usage is often seen when the noun being referred to is understood from the context and can therefore be omitted.

Example

A: あなたの猫はどれですか。
"Which one is your cat?"

B: 白いの ​ です。
"The white one." → Here, "の" stands for "cat."

A: あなたの傘はどれですか。
"Which one is your umbrella?"

B: 黒いの ​ です。
"The black one." → Here, "の" stands for "umbrella."

This structure is not difficult to grasp, as it parallels similar usage in Chinese. For instance, when someone asks, "Which one is your motorcycle?" it is common to reply with "the white one" rather than "the white motorcycle." This makes the concept easy to understand.

Additional Example:

A: あなたのバイクはどれですか。
"Which one is your motorcycle?"

B: 白いのです。
"The white one." → This means "the white one" (implying the motorcycle).

A: あなたのバイクはどれですか。
"Which one is your motorcycle?"

B: 白いバイクです。
"The white motorcycle." → This is also correct, but in spoken language, it's common to use "の" to omit the noun.