Table of Contents

Grammar Point

有一點有点儿 yǒu yìdiǎn vs. 一點一点 yìdiǎn: A Bit

Both 有一點 yǒu yìdiǎn有点儿 yǒudiǎnr and 一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn mean “a little” or “a bit,” but they go in different places and feel a little different. In mainland China, people usually say 有點兒 yǒudiǎnr有点儿 yǒudiǎnr instead of 有一點.

一 At a Glance

Here are the three patterns at a glance:

Pattern	Meaning	Example
有一點有点儿 + Adjective	a bit (often slightly negative)	有一點熱有点儿热
Adjective + 一點一点	a bit more (a comparison)	熱一點热一点
一點一点 + Noun	a little (amount)	一點水一点水

二有一點有点儿 + Adjective

有点儿 + Adjective

有一點 yǒu yìdiǎn有点儿 yǒudiǎnr goes before an adjective. It describes how something is, with no comparison.

今天jīntiān天气tiānqì有点儿yǒudiǎnr热rè

The weather’s a bit hot today.

我wǒ弟弟dìdi有点儿yǒudiǎnr矮ǎi

My younger brother is a bit short.

我wǒ觉得juéde那nà家jiā店diàn的de珍珠奶茶zhēnzhū nǎichá有点儿yǒudiǎnr贵guì

I think that shop’s bubble tea is a bit expensive.

A polite way to complain有点儿 yǒudiǎnr is often used for things you’re not happy about. It softens a complaint and makes it sound more polite. That’s why you’d never say 有点儿好吃 (“a bit delicious”). Delicious isn’t a complaint!

这zhè个ge课kè有点儿yǒudiǎnr简单jiǎndān

This class is a little too easy.

The speaker wishes it were harder.

他tā买mǎi的de东西dōngxi常常chángcháng有点儿yǒudiǎnr便宜piányi

The stuff he buys is often a bit cheap.

The speaker wishes he’d buy better-quality things.

三 Adjective + 一點一点

(A + 比 + B) + Adjective + 一点

一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn goes after an adjective to mean “a bit more.” There’s always a comparison, even if B isn’t said out loud.

今天jīntiān天气tiānqì比bǐ昨天zuótiān热rè一点yìdiǎn

Today’s a bit hotter than yesterday.

今天jīntiān请qǐng你nǐ（比bǐ平常píngcháng）早zǎo一点yìdiǎn回家huíjiā

Please come home a bit earlier (than usual) today.

Even without 比平常, “than usual” is understood.

四一點一点 + Noun

(Verb) + 一点 + Noun

一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn also goes before a noun to mean “a little (bit of).”

你nǐ要不要yào bú yào喝hē一点yìdiǎn酒jiǔ？

Would you like a little wine?

我wǒ早上zǎoshàng吃chī了le一点yìdiǎn饭fàn，所以suǒyǐ现在xiànzài不bú饿è

I ate a little this morning, so I’m not hungry now.

我wǒ会huì说shuō一点yìdiǎn日文Rìwén

I can speak a little Japanese.

五 Special Case: 有 + 一點一点 + Noun

Careful! Sometimes 有一點有一点 isn’t the pattern at all. It’s the verb 有 yǒu (“have”) + 一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn + a noun.

我wǒ今天jīntiān下午xiàwǔ有yǒu一点yìdiǎn时间shíjiān

I have a bit of time this afternoon.

他tā只zhǐ有yǒu一点yìdiǎn钱qián

He only has a little money.

我wǒ家jiā还hái有yǒu一点yìdiǎn洋葱yángcōng，你nǐ要yào吗ma？

I still have a bit of onion at home. Do you want it?

Noun or adjective?How to tell: if a noun follows, 有 yǒu means “have.” If an adjective follows, it’s 有点儿 yǒudiǎnr = “a bit.”

六 Common Mistakes

❌ 你nǐ做zuò的de菜cài有一點yǒu yìdiǎn有点儿yǒudiǎnr好吃hǎochī

✅ 你nǐ做zuò的de菜cài很hěn好吃hǎochī

有一點 yǒu yìdiǎn有点儿 yǒudiǎnr is for things you’re a little unhappy about, so it doesn’t go with positive words like 好吃 hǎochī.

❌ 今天jīntiān比bǐ昨天zuótiān有一點yǒu yìdiǎn有点儿yǒudiǎnr熱rè热rè

✅ 今天jīntiān比bǐ昨天zuótiān熱rè热rè一點yìdiǎn一点yìdiǎn

For a comparison, 一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn goes after the adjective.

❌ 這zhè这zhè件jiàn衣服yīfu一點yìdiǎn一点yìdiǎn貴guì贵guì

✅ 這zhè这zhè件jiàn衣服yīfu有一點yǒu yìdiǎn有点儿yǒudiǎnr貴guì贵guì

Before an adjective, you need 有一點 yǒu yìdiǎn有点儿 yǒudiǎnr, not just 一點 yìdiǎn一点 yìdiǎn.

七 Practice

Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like, or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck. Careful: some tiles are traps and are not needed!

Question 1 of 10

“I’m a bit tired today.”