This lesson builds on 比 bǐ比 bǐ sentences from HSK 2 with five new patterns: “even more,” “the same as,” “the same … as,” “not more … than,” and comparing how much or how early/late an action happens.
1Structure
At HSK 3 you can make comparisons stronger, say two things are the same, push back on an assumption, and count exact differences in actions. Five patterns build on the basic 比 bǐ比 bǐ sentence from HSK 2.
A + 比 bǐ比 bǐ + B + 更 gèng更 gèng / 還 hái还 hái + Adj.
Both 更 gèng更 gèng and 還 hái还 hái emphasize the idea of “more,” and can be translated as “even.” This usually means the speaker is correcting an earlier assumption, or wants to stress how big the difference is: B already has the quality, and A goes one step further. 更 gèng更 gèng is neutral and works in both speech and writing; 還 hái还 hái is more conversational.
A：你哥哥比你高嗎？A：你哥哥比你高吗？
Is your brother taller than you?
B：不是，我比我哥哥更高。B：不是，我比我哥哥更高。
No, I’m even taller than my brother.
A：今天很熱。A：今天很热。
It’s hot today.
B：昨天比今天更熱。B：昨天比今天更热。
No, yesterday was even hotter.
A：你是不是瘦了？A：你是不是瘦了？
Have you lost weight?
B：是的，我比以前還瘦。B：是的，我比以前还瘦。
Yes, I’m even thinner than before.
弟弟比我更喜歡打籃球。弟弟比我更喜欢打篮球。
My younger brother likes playing basketball even more than I do.
更 gèng更 gèng can also come before a verb like 喜歡 xǐhuān喜欢 xǐhuān.
這次的作業比上次還多。这次的作业比上次还多。
There is even more homework this time than last time.
你吃得比小鳥還少。你吃得比小鸟还少。
You eat even less than a little bird.
FYI: 小鳥胃 xiǎoniǎo wèi小鸟胃 xiǎoniǎo wèi
小鳥胃 xiǎoniǎo wèi小鸟胃 xiǎoniǎo wèi (“bird stomach”) is a fun Chinese expression for someone with a small appetite, just like a bird. It means they can only eat a little bit at a time, and it’s often used playfully to tease someone who doesn’t eat much.
Still no 很 hěn很 hěn
更 gèng更 gèng and 還 hái还 hái replace the degree word — you never stack 很 hěn很 hěn on top. 我比你更很忙 wǒ bǐ nǐ gèng hěn máng我比你更很忙 wǒ bǐ nǐ gèng hěn máng is wrong; 我比你更忙 wǒ bǐ nǐ gèng máng我比你更忙 wǒ bǐ nǐ gèng máng is right.
A + 跟 gēn跟 gēn + B + 一樣 yíyàng一样 yíyàng
This says A and B are the same. Notice that 比 bǐ比 bǐ disappears: it’s for things that differ, while 跟 gēn跟 gēn … 一樣 yíyàng一样 yíyàng is for things that match. To say they’re different, put 不 bù不 bù before 一樣 yíyàng一样 yíyàng.
我的手機跟你的一樣。我的手机跟你的一样。
My phone is the same as yours.
我的名字跟他的一樣。我的名字跟他的一样。
My name is the same as his.
FYI: 菜市場名字 càishìchǎng míngzì菜市场名字 càishìchǎng míngzi
“Marketplace names” are names so common that if you called one out loud in a market, one or two people would probably answer — because they happen to share the same name.
妹妹跟姐姐一樣，都喜歡吃甜點。妹妹跟姐姐一样，都喜欢吃甜点。
My younger sister is just like my older sister — they both love sweets.
這裡的菜跟那裡的一樣嗎？这里的菜跟那里的一样吗？
Is the food here the same as the food there?
他的想法跟我不一樣。他的想法跟我不一样。
His way of thinking is different from mine.
Negative: 不 bù不 bù goes before 一樣 yíyàng一样 yíyàng.
跟 gēn跟 gēn / 和 hé和 hé, 一樣 yíyàng一样 yíyàng / 相同 xiāngtóng相同 xiāngtóng
跟 gēn跟 gēn and 和 hé和 hé both mean “and” and are colloquial, so either can be used in this pattern. 一樣 yíyàng一样 yíyàng and 相同 xiāngtóng相同 xiāngtóng both mean “the same,” but 相同 xiāngtóng相同 xiāngtóng is more formal.
A + 跟 gēn跟 gēn + B + 一樣 yíyàng一样 yíyàng + Adj.
Add an adjective after 一樣 yíyàng一样 yíyàng to say A is “as … as” B. The adjective comes last, and — as in the 比 bǐ比 bǐ pattern — it doesn’t take 很 hěn很 hěn.
我跟他一樣高。我跟他一样高。
I’m as tall as he is.
這家店的麵跟那家一樣好吃。这家店的面跟那家一样好吃。
The noodles at this shop are as delicious as at that one.
弟弟跑得跟我一樣快。弟弟跑得跟我一样快。
My younger brother runs as fast as I do.
With actions, the pattern goes after 得 de得 de.
這個手機跟那個一樣貴。这个手机跟那个一样贵。
This phone is as expensive as that one.
Different from 沒有 méiyǒu没有 méiyǒu
我跟你一樣高 wǒ gēn nǐ yíyàng gāo我跟你一样高 wǒ gēn nǐ yíyàng gāo says you’re the same height. 我沒有你高 wǒ méiyǒu nǐ gāo我没有你高 wǒ méiyǒu nǐ gāo says you’re shorter. Pick 跟 gēn跟 gēn … 一樣 yíyàng一样 yíyàng when the two things match, and 沒有 méiyǒu没有 méiyǒu when one falls short.
A + 不比 bùbǐ不比 bùbǐ + B + Adj.
The negative word goes before 比 bǐ比 bǐ, not before the adjective. 不比 bùbǐ不比 bùbǐ is used to push back on an assumption: someone says or thinks “A is more … than B,” and you correct them. It only denies that A is ahead — A might be equal to B, or even behind. That’s what makes it different from 沒有 méiyǒu没有 méiyǒu, which says A is definitely behind.
今年夏天不比去年熱。今年夏天不比去年热。
This summer is not hotter than last year.
老師的英文沒比我好。老师的英文没比我好。
The teacher’s English isn’t better than mine.
沒 méi没 méi can also replace 不 bù不 bù in front of 比 bǐ比 bǐ.
這家餐廳不比那家貴，你別擔心。这家餐馆不比那家贵，你别担心。
This restaurant isn’t more expensive than that one, so don’t worry.
你不比我忙，為什麼事情都要我做？你不比我忙，为什么事情都要我做？
You’re no busier than I am — why do I have to do everything?
他的中文不比我好，他只是比較敢說。他的中文不比我好，他只是比较敢说。
His Chinese isn’t better than mine; he’s just more willing to speak up.
不比 bùbǐ不比 bùbǐ vs. 沒有 méiyǒu没有 méiyǒu
他沒有我高 tā méiyǒu wǒ gāo他没有我高 tā méiyǒu wǒ gāo: he is shorter than me.
他不比我高 tā bùbǐ wǒ gāo他不比我高 tā bùbǐ wǒ gāo: he is not taller than me (he may be shorter, or the same). Use it when you’re correcting someone, not when you’re just describing.
A + 比 bǐ比 bǐ + B + 多 duō多 duō / 少 shǎo少 shǎo / 早 zǎo早 zǎo / 晚 wǎn晚 wǎn + V + Amount
多 duō多 duō “more,” 少 shǎo少 shǎo “less,” 早 zǎo早 zǎo “early,” 晚 wǎn晚 wǎn “late.” Put one of them right before the verb, and the amount (a number + measure word) after the verb. If the action is finished, 了 le了 le follows the verb.
我比他多吃了五個餃子。我比他多吃了五个饺子。
I ate five more dumplings than he did.
他比我少學了一年中文。他比我少学了一年中文。
He studied Chinese for one year less than I did.
爸爸比我早回來十分鐘。爸爸比我早回来十分钟。
Dad came back ten minutes earlier than me.
哥哥昨天比前天晚睡半小時。哥哥昨天比前天晚睡半小时。
My older brother slept half an hour later yesterday than the day before.
這個月我比上個月多花了三千塊。这个月我比上个月多花了三千块。
This month I spent 3,000 dollars more than last month.
To negate it, put 沒 méi没 méi before 比 bǐ比 bǐ:
我會說的中文沒比他多。我会说的中文没比他多。
I don’t speak more Chinese than he does.
爸爸沒比我早回來十分鐘，他比我晚回來十分鐘。爸爸没比我早回来十分钟，他比我晚回来十分钟。
Dad didn’t come back ten minutes before me — he came back ten minutes after me.
Where the amount goes
Compare 他比我高三公分 tā bǐ wǒ gāo sān gōngfēn他比我高三厘米 tā bǐ wǒ gāo sān límǐ (HSK 2: amount after an adjective) with 他比我多吃了一碗飯 tā bǐ wǒ duō chī le yì wǎn fàn他比我多吃了一碗饭 tā bǐ wǒ duō chī le yì wǎn fàn (amount after a verb). With verbs, 多 duō多 duō / 少 shǎo少 shǎo / 早 zǎo早 zǎo / 晚 wǎn晚 wǎn move in front of the verb, and the number + measure word comes after it.
2Common Mistakes
Watch for these mix-ups between 比 bǐ比 bǐ, 一樣 yíyàng一样 yíyàng and 不比 bùbǐ不比 bùbǐ.
❌我比他一樣高。我比他一样高。
✅我跟他一樣高。我跟他一样高。
Do not use 比 bǐ比 bǐ to express “the same.” 比 bǐ比 bǐ is for things that differ, 跟 gēn跟 gēn … 一樣 yíyàng一样 yíyàng for things that match.
❌我比他不高。我比他不高。
✅我不比他高。我不比他高。
Negative words need to be placed before 比 bǐ比 bǐ, not before the adjective.
❌我比你更很忙。我比你更很忙。
✅我比你更忙。我比你更忙。
更 gèng更 gèng already does the job of a degree word, so 很 hěn很 hěn can’t be added.
❌我跟你一樣很高。我跟你一样很高。
✅我跟你一樣高。我跟你一样高。
After 一樣 yíyàng一样 yíyàng, use the bare adjective — 很 hěn很 hěn is not needed.
❌他不比我。他不比我。
✅他不比我高。他不比我高。
不比 bùbǐ不比 bùbǐ needs the adjective at the end to complete the meaning.
❌我比他吃多了一碗飯。我比他吃多了一碗饭。
✅我比他多吃了一碗飯。我比他多吃了一碗饭。
In this pattern, 多 duō多 duō / 少 shǎo少 shǎo / 早 zǎo早 zǎo / 晚 wǎn晚 wǎn go before the verb, not after it.
3Practice
Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.
01I really think English is much more difficult than Chinese. (“even more”)
我真的覺得英文比中文更難。我真的觉得英文比中文更难。
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02He’s even funnier than his older brother! (casual, a bit surprised)
他比他哥哥還好笑！他比他哥哥还好笑！
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03Her shoes are the same as mine. (same)
她的鞋子跟我的一樣。她的鞋子跟我的一样。
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04This soup is as salty as that one. (same + adjective)
這碗湯跟那碗一樣鹹。这碗汤跟那碗一样咸。
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05She dances as well as her teacher. (same + adjective, action)
她跳得跟老師一樣好。她跳得跟老师一样好。
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06It’s not more expensive over there than here (contrary to what you think). (pushing back)
那裡不比這裡貴。那里不比这里贵。
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07I understand one more grammar point today than I did yesterday. (more, with an amount)
我今天比昨天多懂了一個文法。我今天比昨天多懂了一个文法。
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08My younger brother bought one fewer piece of clothing than I did. (less, with an amount)
弟弟比我少買了一件衣服。弟弟比我少买了一件衣服。
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