of, aim

的 depicts a bow and an arrow, and the arrowhead is aiming at a target. Now the picture of bow and arrow has been symbolized to 勺, while the target has became 白, the original shape of 的 has lost, it is so ridiculous that some academics still use such two characters to explain 的. Nevertheless, now 的 still retains its original meaning, means target. Since the meaning of 的 implies 'going to somewhere', 的 is also used as article, like 之.