How to Say ‘What [someone] said was’ in Traditional Chinese
說的是
shuō de shì
[shwaw duh shir]
💬 Usage Tip: [說的是] is a handy pattern for clarifying: [我說的是A，不是B] = [what I meant was A, not B]. The [的] points to the thing being talked about — basically "the thing said."
Phrase Breakdown
說
shuō
[shwaw]
to say; to mean
A verb meaning to speak or say. In this taxi context, it often introduces what you meant.
我說的是前面的巷口，不是這裡。
What I meant was the alley entrance up ahead, not here.
的
de
[duh]
-modifier particle; of
A very common particle linking description to a noun or marking emphasis in patterns like 說的是.
前面的巷口才是我說的地方。
The alley entrance up ahead is the place I was talking about.
是
shì
[shir]
is; yes; to be
The verb 'to be' used to identify or confirm something.
我要說的是前面的巷口。
What I want to say is the alley entrance up ahead.
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