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HSK 4 Fixed Phrase 有的是: Expressing Abundance and Plenty
The fixed phrase 有的是 (yǒudeshì) is used in spoken Chinese to emphasize that there is plenty of something or no shortage of a resource, person, or opportunity.
别着急，年轻人的机会有的是。
Here 有的是 sits at the end of the clause as the predicate, emphasizing that opportunities are abundant.
× 离火车出发还有三个小时，我们有的是三个小时。
For the intended abundance meaning, 有的是时间 is the natural model. If you only want to state the exact remaining duration, use 还有三个小时. The restriction concerns an exact available count, not every number inside a noun description.
Corrected example: 离火车出发还有三个小时，我们有的是时间。
Read the full explanation and examples
Core Meaning and Syllabus Scope
In the HSK 4 grammar outline, 有的是 (yǒudeshì) is categorized under fixed phrases (固定短语) in the 'other' (其他) subcategory. Note that level designations reflect the supplied syllabus outline and do not guarantee which exam version a specific test center currently administers.
Although it is made up of the common characters 有 (to have), 的 (structural particle), and 是 (to be), together as a fixed expression 有的是 means 'to have plenty of', 'there is no shortage of', or 'there are lots of'. Rather than simply stating that something exists, speakers use it in everyday conversation to reassure someone, boast slightly, or emphasize that a resource is abundant.
别着急，年轻人的机会有的是。
Here 有的是 sits at the end of the clause as the predicate, emphasizing that opportunities are abundant.
Two Common Sentence Structures
You can place 有的是 in two main positions depending on what you want to emphasize in the sentence. In the first pattern, it acts like a transitive verb meaning 'to have plenty of' and is followed directly by an abstract or general noun phrase, such as time, money, methods, or energy.
不用担心，我们有的是办法解决这个问题。
Here 有的是 precedes the bare noun 办法 (methods/ways) to reassure the listener.
离火车出发还有三个小时，我们有的是时间。
Correct replacement for the learner error: general noun 时间 (time) follows 有的是 naturally.
In the second pattern, the noun or group being described is placed at the beginning of the clause as the topic or subject, and 有的是 stands at the very end as the predicate. This pattern is especially natural when talking about categories of people, places, or options.
在这座大城市里，比他厉害的人有的是。
Used at the end of the sentence to point out that a certain type of person is very common.
Important Contrast: Fixed Phrase 有的是 vs. 有的 + 是
Learners often confuse the fixed phrase 有的是 with a completely different grammatical sequence that uses the exact same characters: the pronoun 有的 (yǒude, 'some') followed by the verb 是 (shì, 'to be'). Reading the context carefully makes the difference clear.
- The fixed phrase 有的是, yǒu de shì, emphasizes abundance. 的 is neutral-tone de; 是 is written with fourth-tone shì. A speaker may vary stress, but this is not a rule that 是 becomes neutral-tone.
- Pronoun + Verb 有的 + 是 (yǒude shì): Means 'some (of them) are...'. It divides a larger group into subsets and often appears in parallel pairs (有的...，有的...). Here, 是 is the normal linking verb and precedes a description or classification.
院子里的花开了，有的是红的，有的是黄的。
Contrast example: this is the pronoun 有的 ('some') plus the verb 是 ('are'), not the fixed phrase meaning 'plenty of'.
Usage Limits and Common Learner Mistakes
Because 有的是 expresses a vague, emphatic sense of abundance ('loads of', 'plenty of'), it comes with three main usage boundaries:
- Separate an exact available quantity from a category description. Use 还有三个小时 for “there are three hours left” and 有的是时间 for “there is plenty of time”. Numbers can occur inside a descriptive noun phrase, as in 这里有的是三室一厅的房子: 三室一厅 describes the type of apartment, not the number available.
- Register: It is predominantly conversational and informal. In formal reports or academic writing, standard expressions like 充足 (chōngzú, ample) or 很多 (hěn duō, many) are preferred.
- No direct negation: You do not negate this fixed phrase as 没有的是 to mean 'do not have plenty'. Instead, use standard negation such as 没有多少 (do not have much/many).
The most unambiguous mistake happens when learners treat 有的是 as a simple substitute for 有 (to have) or 还有 (still have) and attach an exact numerical duration or count after it:
× 离火车出发还有三个小时，我们有的是三个小时。
For the intended abundance meaning, 有的是时间 is the natural model. If you only want to state the exact remaining duration, use 还有三个小时. The restriction concerns an exact available count, not every number inside a noun description.
Corrected example: 离火车出发还有三个小时，我们有的是时间。
Frequently asked questions
How is 有的是 pronounced in everyday conversation?
A reference pronunciation is yǒu de shì: neutral-tone 的 and fourth-tone 是. The abundance phrase and the sequence 有的 + 是 (“some are”) can sound similar. Distinguish them from the sentence meaning and grammar, not from a required pause or an invented neutral-tone 是.
Can I put 不 or 没 in front of 有的是?
To say there is little of something, use 我没有多少时间 or 我的时间不多. Do not mechanically change 有的是 into 没有的是. The phrase can still appear inside a larger negative statement, such as 别以为我有的是时间 (“Do not assume I have plenty of time”); this does not change the phrase’s internal meaning.
