This first lesson covers the four core ways to compare at HSK 2: 比 bǐ比 bǐ + adjective, adding “how much” after the adjective, 有 yǒu有 yǒu / 沒有 méiyǒu没有 méiyǒu comparisons, and comparing actions with 得 de得 de.
14 Structures
A + 比 bǐ比 bǐ + B + Adj.
This means “A is more … than B.” The adjective describes A, the one that comes out on top, and 比 bǐ比 bǐ sits between the two things being compared, like “than” in English. If the second noun is obvious, you can drop it.
美國比日本大。美国比日本大。
The United States is bigger than Japan.
台灣的夏天比加拿大的夏天熱。台湾的夏天比加拿大的夏天热。
The summer in Taiwan is hotter than the summer in Canada.
你做的菜比餐館的好吃。你做的菜比餐馆的好吃。
You make better food than the restaurant.
的 de的 de stands in for the repeated noun: 餐館的 cānguǎn de餐馆的 cānguǎn de = 餐館的菜 cānguǎn de cài餐馆的菜 cānguǎn de cài.
說的比做的容易。说的比做的容易。
Easier said than done.
坐捷運比坐公車快。坐地铁比坐公交车快。
Taking the MRT is faster than taking the bus.
你比他大嗎？你比他大吗？
Are you older than him?
Add 嗎 ma吗 ma at the end to turn any 比 bǐ比 bǐ sentence into a yes/no question.
Why no 很 hěn很 hěn?
In a plain sentence like 他很高 tā hěn gāo他很高 tā hěn gāo, 很 hěn很 hěn helps the adjective stand on its own. In a 比 bǐ比 bǐ sentence the comparison already does that job, so degree words such as 很 hěn很 hěn, 非常 fēicháng非常 fēicháng, 太 tài太 tài and 真 zhēn真 zhēn are left out.
Want to show how big the gap is? Add an amount or a degree phrase after the adjective — that’s the next pattern.
A + 比 bǐ比 bǐ + B + Adj. + Amount / Degree
Put the size of the difference right after the adjective. A quantity complement is a number combined with a measure word — for example “three years,” “seven points,” or “three centimeters.”
我弟弟比我小三歲。我弟弟比我小三岁。
My younger brother is three years younger than me.
你的分數比我的高七分。你的分数比我的高七分。
Your score is 7 points higher than mine.
我比他高三公分。我比他高三厘米。
I am three centimeters taller than he is.
To say “much more” or “a little more,” use a degree phrase instead of a number: 多了 duō le多了 duō le, 一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn, 一些 yìxiē一些 yìxiē, 得多 de duō得多 de duō or 很多 hěnduō很多 hěnduō.
昨天比今天冷多了。昨天比今天冷多了。
Yesterday was much colder than today.
我妹妹比我漂亮一點，就一點。我妹妹比我漂亮一点，就一点。
My sister is a little prettier than me. Only a little bit.
我現在的工作比以前的多一些。我现在的工作比以前的多一些。
I have a little more work now than in my previous job.
坐Uber比自己開車方便很多。坐Uber比自己开车方便很多。
Taking an Uber is much more convenient than driving yourself.
台北的冬天比高雄冷得多。台北的冬天比高雄冷得多。
Taipei’s winter is much colder than Kaohsiung’s.
A + 有 yǒu有 yǒu / 沒有 méiyǒu没有 méiyǒu + B (+ 這麼 zhème这么 zhème / 那麼 nàme那么 nàme) + Adj.
This is how you say A reaches (or doesn’t reach) B’s level. 沒有 méiyǒu没有 méiyǒu is the everyday way to say “not as … as,” and it is also how you negate a 比 bǐ比 bǐ sentence. Add 這麼 zhème这么 zhème or 那麼 nàme那么 nàme to mean “this/that much.” The difference between the two is subtle — 這麼 zhème这么 zhème points at something close by or just mentioned, 那麼 nàme那么 nàme at something farther away or already known — and in many sentences you can use either.
With 沒有 méiyǒu没有 méiyǒu:
他沒有他哥哥高。他没有他哥哥高。
He is not as tall as his brother.
你的新工作沒有舊工作好。你的新工作没有旧工作好。
Your new job is not as good as your old one.
台中沒有台北那麼熱鬧。台中没有台北那么热闹。
Taichung isn’t as lively as Taipei.
With 有 yǒu有 yǒu — most often in questions (add 嗎 ma吗 ma), and sometimes in an exclamation:
你的手機有我的手機那麼貴嗎？你的手机有我的手机那么贵吗？
Is your phone as expensive as mine?
The second 手機 shǒujī手机 shǒujī can be dropped: 你的手機有我的那麼貴嗎 nǐ de shǒujī yǒu wǒ de nàme guì ma你的手机有我的那么贵吗 nǐ de shǒujī yǒu wǒ de nàme guì ma.
他家的廁所有我家的房間這麼大！他家的厕所有我家的房间这么大！
His toilet is as big as my room!
你有比爾蓋茲那麼有錢嗎？你有比尔盖茨那么有钱吗？
Are you as rich as Bill Gates?
她有我美嗎？她有我美吗？
Is she as beautiful as me?
加州的夏天有台灣的這麼熱嗎？加州的夏天有台湾的这么热吗？
Is the summer in California as hot as in Taiwan?
你的中文有我好嗎？你的中文有我好吗？
Is your Chinese as good as mine?
When B is obvious from the context, you can leave it out — but only if 這麼 zhème这么 zhème or 那麼 nàme那么 nàme is there. The sentence then means “that/this …?”
你有那麼有錢嗎？你有那么有钱吗？
Are you that rich?
她有這麼美嗎？她有这么美吗？
Is she that beautiful?
你有這麼忙嗎？你有这么忙吗？
Are you really that busy?
A + 比 bǐ比 bǐ + B + V + 得 de得 de + Adj. / A + V + 得 de得 de + 比 bǐ比 bǐ + B + Adj.
Remember: when a verb and an adjective come together, you always need 得 de得 de to connect them. To compare how two people do an action, add 比 bǐ比 bǐ — either in front of the verb, or right after 得 de得 de. The two word orders mean the same thing.
比 bǐ比 bǐ + B before the verb:
我比他跑得快。我比他跑得快。
I run faster than him.
我說中文比妹妹說得流利。我说中文比妹妹说得流利。
I speak Chinese more fluently than my younger sister.
When the verb has an object, say the verb twice: 說中文 shuō zhōngwén说中文 shuō zhōngwén … 說得 shuō de说得 shuō de.
我比你吃得少很多，為什麼我比你胖。我比你吃得少很多，为什么我比你胖。
I eat much less than you, so why am I fatter than you?
比 bǐ比 bǐ + B after 得 de得 de:
我跑得比他快。我跑得比他快。
I run faster than him.
姐姐中文說得比我流利。姐姐中文说得比我流利。
My older sister speaks Chinese more fluently than me.
我吃得比你少很多，為什麼我比你胖。我吃得比你少很多，为什么我比你胖。
I eat much less than you, so why am I fatter than you?
To negate it, put 沒 méi没 méi in front of the verb. For a yes/no question, add 嗎 ma吗 ma:
我沒跑得比他快。我没跑得比他快。
I did not run faster than him.
他跑得比我快嗎？他跑得比我快吗？
Is he running faster than me?
他有跑得比我快嗎？他有跑得比我快吗？
Does he really run faster than me?
Adding 有 yǒu有 yǒu gives the question a slightly disdainful tone.
2Common Mistakes
Most errors come from carrying English habits into 比 bǐ比 bǐ sentences.
❌我比他很高。我比他很高。
✅我比他高。我比他高。
Adverbs of degree like 很 hěn很 hěn aren’t necessary — and aren’t allowed — in a 比 bǐ比 bǐ sentence.
❌中文比英文非常難。中文比英文非常难。
✅中文比英文難。中文比英文难。
The same goes for 非常 fēicháng非常 fēicháng, 太 tài太 tài and 真 zhēn真 zhēn. If you want to stress the gap, put 多了 duō le多了 duō le or an amount after the adjective.
❌我比他不高。我比他不高。
✅我沒有他高。我没有他高。
Don’t put 不 bù不 bù in front of the adjective in a 比 bǐ比 bǐ sentence. To say “not as … as,” use 沒有 méiyǒu没有 méiyǒu.
❌這家店沒有那家很好吃。这家店没有那家很好吃。
✅這家店沒有那家好吃。这家店没有那家好吃。
沒有 méiyǒu没有 méiyǒu sentences don’t take 很 hěn很 hěn either. Use the bare adjective, or add 那麼 nàme那么 nàme / 這麼 zhème这么 zhème if you want to say “that much.”
❌他比我快跑。他比我快跑。
✅他比我跑得快。他比我跑得快。
To compare how someone does an action, the adjective goes after 得 de得 de: verb first, then 得 de得 de, then the adjective.
3Practice
Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.
01My phone is newer than yours. (basic comparison)
我的手機比你的新。我的手机比你的新。
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02This schoolbag is 200 dollars cheaper than that one. (exact amount)
這個書包比那個便宜兩百塊。这个书包比那个便宜两百块。
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03This year’s summer is much hotter than last year’s. (much more)
今年的夏天比去年熱多了。今年的夏天比去年热多了。
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04This movie isn’t as interesting as that one. (not as … as)
這部電影沒有那部有意思。这部电影没有那部有意思。
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05Do you think learning Chinese is as hard as I find learning English? (question with “as … as”)
你覺得你學中文有我學英文那麼難嗎？你觉得你学中文有我学英文那么难吗？
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06My classmate sings better than I do. (comparing an action)
我同學比我唱得好。我同学比我唱得好。
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07She swims faster than her friend. (comparing an action, other word order)
她游得比朋友快。她游得比朋友快。
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08This year’s summer vacation is a little longer than last year’s. (a little more)
今年的暑假比去年長一點。今年的暑假比去年长一点。
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