This lesson covers one HSK 5 pattern: A + adjective + B + quantity complement, a compact way to say exactly how much bigger, taller, older or heavier something is.
1Structure
At HSK 5, Chinese lets you drop 比 bǐ比 bǐ entirely when you want to say exactly how much bigger, taller or older one thing is. The adjective acts almost like a verb meaning “exceeds,” so B comes straight after it, and the exact amount closes the sentence.
A + Adj. + B + Amount
This structure indicates how much A differs from B in terms of a specific quality, often giving the exact numerical difference. The amount is usually a number + measure word (五公分 wǔ gōngfēn五公分 wǔ gōngfēn, 十歲 shí suì十岁 shí suì), and it always comes last. It means the same as A 比 bǐ比 bǐ B + Adj. + Amount from HSK 2, but it is shorter and very common in everyday speech, especially for age, height, weight and length.
他高我五公分。他高我五厘米。
He is five centimeters taller than me.
他早我十分鐘到公司。他早我十分钟到公司。
He arrived at the office ten minutes earlier than me.
早 zǎo早 zǎo and 晚 wǎn晚 wǎn work here too — the verb (到 dào到 dào) comes after the amount.
姐姐大我十歲。姐姐大我十岁。
My older sister is 10 years older than me.
這個電影長那個一個小時。这个电影长那个一个小时。
This movie is one hour longer than that one.
妹妹小我兩歲。妹妹小我两岁。
My younger sister is two years younger than me.
大 dà大 dà = older, 小 xiǎo小 xiǎo = younger.
這個箱子重那個五公斤。这个箱子重那个五公斤。
This box is five kilograms heavier than that one.
他矮我一個頭。他矮我一个头。
He is a head shorter than me.
他胖我十公斤。他胖我十公斤。
He is ten kilograms heavier than me.
Which adjectives work?
The adjective has to describe something you can measure: age (大 dà大 dà, 小 xiǎo小 xiǎo), size and length (高 gāo高 gāo, 矮 ǎi矮 ǎi, 長 cháng长 cháng, 短 duǎn短 duǎn), and weight (重 zhòng重 zhòng, 胖 pàng胖 pàng, 瘦 shòu瘦 shòu). Words for taste, beauty or quality, such as 好吃 hǎochī好吃 hǎochī or 漂亮 piàoliàng漂亮 piàoliàng, can’t take an exact amount this way — use the 比 bǐ比 bǐ pattern for those.
Cultural Note: 學長 xuézhǎng学长 xuézhǎng / 學姊 xuéjiě学姐 xuéjiě
In Taiwan’s schools and workplaces, seniority is part of everyday speech: people call someone who is a bit ahead of them 學長 xuézhǎng学长 xuézhǎng or 學姊 xuéjiě学姊 xuéjiě. That’s why exact age gaps like 大我三歲 dà wǒ sān suì大我三岁 dà wǒ sān suì come up so naturally when people get to know each other.
Asking “how much”: A + Adj. + B + 多少 duōshǎo多少 duōshǎo / 幾 jǐ几 jǐ + Measure Word?
To ask about the size of the gap, replace the amount with a question word. Use 幾 jǐ几 jǐ + measure word when you expect a small number (like years of age), and 多少 duōshǎo多少 duōshǎo for other amounts.
你姐姐大你幾歲？你姐姐大你几岁？
How many years older is your older sister than you?
他高你多少公分？他高你多少厘米？
How many centimeters taller is he than you?
2Common Mistakes
Because this pattern skips 比 bǐ比 bǐ, a few extra habits creep in from the other comparison patterns.
❌他比我高我五公分。他比我高我五厘米。
✅他高我五公分。他高我五厘米。
Don’t mix the two patterns. Either say 他比我高五公分 tā bǐ wǒ gāo wǔ gōngfēn他比我高五厘米 tā bǐ wǒ gāo wǔ límǐ, or drop 比 bǐ比 bǐ and say 他高我五公分 tā gāo wǒ wǔ gōngfēn他高我五厘米 tā gāo wǒ wǔ límǐ — never both.
❌他高五公分我。他高五厘米我。
✅他高我五公分。他高我五厘米。
B comes right after the adjective, and the amount goes at the very end.
❌他很高我五公分。他很高我五厘米。
✅他高我五公分。他高我五厘米。
As in every comparison, leave out 很 hěn很 hěn before the adjective.
❌這杯咖啡好喝那杯三分。这杯咖啡好喝那杯三分。
✅這杯咖啡比那杯好喝一點。这杯咖啡比那杯好喝一点。
Taste and quality can’t be measured with an exact number, so this pattern doesn’t work with 好喝 hǎohē好喝 hǎohē. Use 比 bǐ比 bǐ plus 一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn or 多了 duō le多了 duō le instead.
3Practice
Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.
01My boyfriend is four years older than me. (age)
我男朋友大我四歲。我男朋友大我四岁。
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02This skirt is five centimeters shorter than that one. (length)
這條裙子短那條五公分。这条裙子短那条五厘米。
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03My cousin is eight centimeters taller than me. (height)
我堂弟高我八公分。我堂弟高我八厘米。
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04I’m two years younger than my roommate. (age, younger)
我小室友兩歲。我小室友两岁。
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05How many years older is your husband than you? (asking about age)
你先生大你幾歲？你先生大你几岁？
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06How many centimeters shorter is your younger brother than you? (asking about height)
你弟弟矮你多少公分？你弟弟矮你多少厘米？
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07My dog is five kilograms heavier than my cat. (weight)
我的狗重我的貓五公斤。我的狗重我的猫五公斤。
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08This room is two meters longer than that one. (size)
這個房間長那個兩公尺。这个房间长那个两米。
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