Comparisons in Chinese 比 bǐ

Comparisons 2

Posted on by tiffany

Grammar Point:
The way to express comparisons in Chinese is by using 比 bǐ. In this article, we will discuss how to use a verb with 比 bǐ to make comparisons.

Structure

A + 比 bǐ + B + V 得 + Adj.

Remember, when there is a verb and an adjective together, you always need to use 得 de to connect them.

我wǒ比bǐ他tā跑pǎo得de快kuài
I run faster than him.

我wǒ说shuō中文zhōngwén比bǐ妹妹mèimei说shuō得de流利liúlì
I speak Chinese more fluently than my younger sister.

我wǒ比bǐ你nǐ吃chī得de少shǎo很多hěnduō， 为什么wèishénme我wǒ比bǐ你nǐ胖pàng
I eat much less than you, so why am I fatter than you?

A + V 得 + 比 bǐ + B + Adj.

我wǒ跑pǎo得de比bǐ他tā快kuài
I run faster than him.

姐姐jiějiě中文zhōngwén说shuō得de比bǐ我wǒ流利liúlì
My elder sister speaks Chinese more fluently than me.

我wǒ吃chī得de比bǐ你nǐ少shǎo很多hěnduō， 为什么wèishénme我wǒ比bǐ你nǐ胖pàng
I eat much less than you, so why am I fatter than you?

A + 比 bǐ + B + 多,少,早,晚 + V + Quantitative phares

多 duō: many; much / 少 shǎo: less; little / 早 zǎo: early / 晚 wǎn: late

我wǒ比bǐ他tā多duō吃chī了le五wǔ个ge饺子jiǎozi
I ate five more dumplings than he did.

他tā比bǐ我wǒ少shǎo学xué了le一年yìnián中文zhōngwén
He studied Chinese for one year less than I did

爸爸bàba比bǐ我wǒ早zǎo回来huílái十shí分钟fēnzhōng
Dad came back 10 minutes before me.

哥哥gēge昨天zuótiān比bǐ前天qiántiān晚wǎn睡shuì半bàn小时xiǎoshí
My elder brother slept half an hour later yesterday than the day before.

Negation

我wǒ没méi跑pǎo得de比bǐ他tā快kuài
I did not run faster than him.

我wǒ会huì说shuō的de中文zhōngwén没méi比bǐ他tā多duō
I speak no more Chinese than he does.

爸爸bàba没méi比bǐ我wǒ早zǎo回来huílái十shí分钟fēnzhōng， 他tā比bǐ我wǒ晚wǎn回来huílái十shí分钟fēnzhōng
Dad didn’t come back 10 minutes before me, he came back 10 minutes after me.

Question

When it is a question, you can add 有 yǒu in this structure. Adding 有 yǒu gives the sentence a slightly disdainful tone.

A + (有) + V得 + 比 + B + Adj. + 嗎/吗？

他tā有yǒu跑pǎo得dé比bǐ我wǒ快kuài吗ma？
Can he run as fast as I am?

他tā跑pǎo得dé比bǐ我wǒ快kuài吗ma？
Is he running faster than me?

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