差不多 (chàbuduō), translated literally, means "the difference is
not much." In practice it means something like "more or less," and
is useful for expressing rough approximations.
差不多 (chàbuduō) as a
Predicate
As a predicate, 差不多 can be used pretty much all by itself
to complete a sentence after you tell us what subject we're talking
about. When several things are 差不多 (chàbuduō), it means they are
"more or less the same." So actually 差不多 (chàbuduō) is
often understood to mean 差不多一样 (chàbuduō yīyàng), but you don't say
the 一样 (yīyàng) part. You just say 差不多 (chàbuduō).
Simple Subject
Let's first assume that the subject is an easily understood
group of people or things.
Structure
You might also add a 都 (dōu) in before 差不多 (chàbuduō) if there are more
than two things being compared.
Examples
- 这 几 个 地方 都 差不多。Zhè jǐ gè dìfang
dōu chàbuduō.These places are
all pretty much the same.
- 这 两 个 词 的 意思 差不多。Zhè liǎng gè cí
de yìsi chàbuduō.The meanings
of these two words are pretty much the same.
- 我们 的 想法 差不多。Wǒmen de xiǎngfǎ
chàbuduō.Our ways of thinking
are pretty much the same.
- 那 两 家 餐厅 的 菜 差不多。Nà liǎng jiā
cāntīng de cài chàbuduō.Those
two restaurants' dishes are almost the same.
- 你们 的 中文 水平 差不多。Nǐmen de Zhōngwén
shuǐpíng chàbuduō.Your Chinese
levels are almost the same.
Several Subjects
Let's add in a few different subjects now, using the Chinese
word for "and."
Structure
Another often used structure is:
Examples
- 上海 和 纽约 差不多。Shànghǎi
hé Niǔyuē chàbuduō.Shanghai and New York are basically the same.
- Starbucks 和 Costa 差不多。 Starbucks hé Costa
chàbuduō.Starbucks and Costa
are almost the same.
- 这里 的 天气 跟 台湾 的 天气 差不多。 Zhèlǐ de tiānqì gēn Táiwān de tiānqì
chàbuduō.The weather here is
pretty much like Taiwan's.
- 你的 工作 跟 我的 工作 差不多。 Nǐ de
gōngzuò gēn wǒ de gōngzuò
chàbuduō.Your job and my job
are almost the same.
- 你的 新 手机 跟 我的 旧 手机 差不多。Nǐ
de xīn shǒujī gēn wǒ de jiù shǒujī
chàbuduō.Your new cell phone is
pretty much like my old cell phone.
差不多 (chàbuduō) as an Adverb
When using 差不多 (chàbuduō) as an adverb, place it before the
adjective or verb.
Structure
Examples
- 这 两 个 孩子 差不多 大。Zhè liǎng gè háizi
chàbuduō dà.These two children
are more or less the same age.
- 我 跟 我哥哥 差不多 高。Wǒ
gēn wǒ gēge chàbuduō gāo.My older brother and I are more or less the same
height.
- 我 差不多 到 公园 门口 了。Wǒ
chàbuduō dào gōngyuán ménkǒu le.I'm almost at the entrance of the park.
- 电影 差不多 要 开始 了。Diànyǐng
chàbuduō yào kāishǐ le.The
movie is almost about to start.
- 今天 的 工作 差不多 做 完 了。Jīntiān de
gōngzuò chàbuduō zuò wán le.Today's work is almost done.
差不多 (chàbuduō)
with a Quantity or Time Phrase
After 差不多 (chàbuduō) you can also add a phrase that expresses
quantity or time. This makes it clear that you're giving a rough
estimate.
Structure
差不多 ＋ [Quantity Phrase] / [Time Phrase]
Examples
- 你 儿子 差不多 五 岁 了 吧？Nǐ érzi
chàbuduō wǔ suì le ba?Your son
should be about 5 years old, right?
- 他 住 在 上海 差不多 三 个 月 了。Tā zhù zài
Shànghǎi chàbuduō sān gè yuè le.He has lived in Shanghai for about three
months.
- 我 在 这 家 公司 工作 了 差不多 十 年 了。Wǒ zài
zhè jiā gōngsī gōngzuò le chàbuduō shí nián
le.I've worked for this company for
almost ten years.
- 我 父母 结婚 差不多 二十 年 了。Wǒ fùmǔ jiéhūn
chàbuduō èrshí nián le.My
parents have been married for about twenty years.
- 差不多 两 个 星期 以前，我 在 北京 见 过 他。Chàbuduō liǎng gè xīngqí yǐqián, wǒ zài Běijīng
jiàn guo tā.About two weeks ago I met
with him in Beijing.
See also
Sources and further
reading
Books
Dictionaries
Category:A2 grammar points