差不多 Chàbuduō Grammar

Grammar Point:
差不多 chābùduōchàbuduō expresses the idea of “not much difference” or “almost the same.” It is often used to describe a situation where two things or situations are very similar or nearly identical.

Structure

S₁ + (and + S₂) + 差不多

Verb – It general means “about the same” in English.

我們wǒmen的de年紀niánjì差不多chābùduō我们wǒmen的de年纪niánjì差不多chàbuduō
Our ages are about the same.

我wǒ現在xiànzài的de薪水xīnshuǐ和hàn十年shínián前qián差不多chābùduō我wǒ现在xiànzài的de薪水xīnshuǐ和hé十年shínián前qián差不多chàbuduō😭
My current salary is about the same as ten years ago.

夜市yèshì裡lǐ賣mài的de東西dōngxī都dōu差不多chābùduō夜市yèshì里lǐ卖mài的de东西dōngxi都dōu差不多chàbuduō
The things sold at the night market are about the same.

你們nǐmen來lái台灣Táiwān的de時間shíjiān差不多chābùduō， 都dōu是shì8 月yuè你们nǐmen来lái台湾Táiwān的de时间shíjiān差不多chàbuduō， 都dōu是shì8 月yuè
You all came to Taiwan around the same time, all in August.

V + 得 + 差不多 + 了

Verb complement – It means “almost finished” in English.

我們wǒmen吃chī得de差不多chābùduō了le， 可以kěyǐ買單mǎidān了le我们wǒmen吃chī得de差不多chàbuduō了le， 可以kěyǐ买单mǎidān了le
We’re almost done eating, we can ask for the bill now.

我的wǒde工作gōngzuò， 做zuò得de差不多chābùduō了le我的wǒde工作gōngzuò， 做zuò得de差不多chàbuduō了le
I’m almost done with my work.

你nǐ準備zhǔnbèi得dé差不多chābùduō了le嗎ma？？你nǐ准备zhǔnbèi得de差不多chàbuduō了le吗ma？
Are you almost ready?

要yào拜拜bàibài的de東西dōngxī， 我們wǒmen買mǎi得de差不多chābùduō了le要yào拜拜bàibài的de东西dōngxi， 我们wǒmen买mǎi得de差不多chàbuduō了le
We’ve almost bought everything we need for the offering.

FYI
Taiwan’s 拜拜 bàibài culture is widely practiced and holds significant importance as a traditional custom for many Taiwanese people. 拜拜 bàibài is a ritual used to show respect, seek blessings, or commemorate deceased loved ones. In Taiwan, 拜拜 bàibài is typically conducted at temples, shrines, altars, or gravesites. Apart from ancestral worship within families, Taiwanese individuals often engage in public 拜拜 bàibài activities on the first and fifteenth day of each lunar month. People bring offerings such as incense, candles, fruits, fresh flowers, and paper money. They then light the incense and candles, kneel before deities or ancestors, and express their wishes or gratitude.

S + 差不多 + V or SV

Adverb – It means “about” or “approximately” in English.

我wǒ差不多chābùduō五點wǔdiǎn會huì到dào你nǐ家jiā我wǒ差不多chàbuduō五点wǔdiǎn会huì到dào你nǐ家jiā
I will arrive at your house around five o’clock.

我們wǒmen差不多chābùduō在一起zàiyìqǐ半年bànnián了le我们wǒmen差不多chàbuduō在一起zàiyìqǐ半年bànnián了le
We’ve been together for almost half a year.

佛羅里達fóluólǐdá的de夏天xiàtiān和hàn台灣Táiwān的de夏天xiàtiān差不多chābùduō熱rè佛罗里达fóluōlǐdá的de夏天xiàtiān和hé台湾Táiwān的de夏天xiàtiān差不多chàbuduō热rè
The summer in Florida is almost as hot as the summer in Taiwan.

從cóng這裡zhèlǐ到dào車站chēzhàn， 差不多chābùduō要yào走zǒu十shí分鐘fēnzhōng从cóng这儿zhèr到dào车站chēzhàn， 差不多chàbuduō要yào走zǒu十shí分钟fēnzhōng
It takes about ten minutes to walk from here to the station.

Conversation

In informal conversations, 差不多 chābùduōchàbuduō can also be used to mean “kind of” or “more or less” when someone is asking for a specific quantity or result.

A：要yào走zǒu了le嗎ma？ 要yào走zǒu了le吗ma？
Are you leaving now?

B：差不多chābùduō了le差不多chàbuduō了le
Almost.

A：你nǐ習慣xíguàn北京běijīng的de生活shēnghuó了le嗎ma？ 你nǐ习惯xíguàn北京běijīng的de生活shēnghuó了le吗ma？
Have you adapted to life in Beijing?

B：差不多chābùduō了le差不多chàbuduō了le
More or less.

Note: The tones of “chabuduo” in Taiwan textbooks are always marked as “chàbùduō”; however, in real conversations, people always say “chābùduō.”

Practice

TouchHover over the space to see the answers.

✔️ The coffee at this cafe is similar to what I’ve had abroad.

這zhè家jiā咖啡店kāfēidiàn的de咖啡kāfēi和hé我wǒ在zài國外guówài喝hē過guò的de差不多chābùduō这zhè家jiā咖啡店kāfēidiàn的de咖啡kāfēi和hé我wǒ在zài国外guówài喝hē过guò的de差不多chàbuduō

✔️ I’ve had enough of wandering around. Let’s go back home.

我wǒ逛guàng得de差不多chābùduō了le， 我們wǒmen回huí家jiā吧ba我wǒ逛guàng得de差不多chàbuduō了le， 我们wǒmen回huí家jiā吧ba

✔️ We should be about to leave.

我們wǒmen差不多chābùduō該gāi出發chūfā了le我们wǒmen差不多chàbuduō该gāi出发chūfā了le

• Different “Almost” in Chinese – 差不多 chābùduōchàbuduō and 幾几乎 jīhū