ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/A2/3.mw.html

<p>差不多 (chàbuduō), translated literally, means &quot;the difference is not much.&quot; In practice it means something like &quot;more or less,&quot; and is useful for expressing rough approximations.</p>
<h2 id="差不多-chàbuduō-as-a-predicate">差不多 (chàbuduō) as a Predicate</h2>
<p>As a <a href="predicate" class="uri" title="wikilink">predicate</a>, 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 &quot;more or less <em>the same</em>.&quot; 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).</p>
<h3 id="simple-subject">Simple Subject</h3>
<p>Let's first assume that the subject is an easily understood group of people or things.</p>
<h4 id="structure">Structure</h4>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + 差不多</p>
</div>
<p>You might also add a <a href="都" class="uri" title="wikilink">都</a> (dōu) in before 差不多 (chàbuduō) if there are more than two things being compared.</p>
<h4 id="examples">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>这 几 个 地方 都 <em>差不多</em>。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jǐ gè dìfang dōu <em>chàbuduō</em>.</span><span class="trans">These places are all pretty much the same.</span></li>
<li>这 两 个 词 的 意思 <em>差不多</em>。<span class="pinyin">Zhè liǎng gè cí de yìsi <em>chàbuduō</em>.</span><span class="trans">The meanings of these two words are pretty much the same.</span></li>
<li>我们 的 想法 <em>差不多</em>。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen de xiǎngfǎ <em>chàbuduō</em>.</span><span class="trans">Our ways of thinking are pretty much the same.</span></li>
<li>那 两 家 餐厅 的 菜 <em>差不多</em>。<span class="pinyin">Nà liǎng jiā cāntīng de cài <em>chàbuduō</em>.</span><span class="trans">Those two restaurants' dishes are almost the same.</span></li>
<li>你们 的 中文 水平 <em>差不多</em>。<span class="pinyin">Nǐmen de Zhōngwén shuǐpíng <em>chàbuduō</em>.</span><span class="trans">Your Chinese levels are almost the same.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="several-subjects">Several Subjects</h3>
<p>Let's add in a few different subjects now, using the Chinese word for &quot;<a href="and" class="uri" title="wikilink">and</a>.&quot;</p>
<h4 id="structure-1">Structure</h4>
<p>Another often used structure is:</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>A + 跟 / 和 + B + 差不多</p>
</div>
<h4 id="examples-1">Examples</h4>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>上海 <em>和</em> 纽约 <em>差不多</em>。<span class="pinyin">Shànghǎi <em>hé</em> Niǔyuē <em>chàbuduō</em>.</span><span class="trans">Shanghai and New York are basically the same.</span></li>
<li>Starbucks <em>和</em> Costa <em>差不多</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Starbucks <em>hé</em> Costa <em>chàbuduō</em>.</span><span class="trans">Starbucks and Costa are almost the same.</span></li>
<li>这里 的 天气 <em>跟</em> 台湾 的 天气 <em>差不多</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Zhèlǐ de tiānqì <em>gēn</em> Táiwān de tiānqì <em>chàbuduō</em>.</span><span class="trans">The weather here is pretty much like Taiwan's.</span></li>
<li>你的 工作 <em>跟</em> 我的 工作 <em>差不多</em>。<span class="pinyin"> Nǐ de gōngzuò <em>gēn</em> wǒ de gōngzuò <em>chàbuduō</em>.</span><span class="trans">Your job and my job are almost the same.</span></li>
<li>你的 新 手机 <em>跟</em> 我的 旧 手机 <em>差不多</em>。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de xīn shǒujī <em>gēn</em> wǒ de jiù shǒujī <em>chàbuduō</em>.</span><span class="trans">Your new cell phone is pretty much like my old cell phone.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="差不多-chàbuduō-as-an-adverb">差不多 (chàbuduō) as an Adverb</h2>
<p>When using 差不多 (chàbuduō) as an adverb, place it before the adjective or verb.</p>
<h3 id="structure-2">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>差不多 + Adj. / Verb</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>这 两 个 孩子 <em>差不多</em> 大。<span class="pinyin">Zhè liǎng gè háizi <em>chàbuduō</em> dà.</span><span class="trans">These two children are more or less the same age.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>跟</em> 我哥哥 <em>差不多</em> 高。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>gēn</em> wǒ gēge <em>chàbuduō</em> gāo.</span><span class="trans">My older brother and I are more or less the same height.</span></li>
<li>我 <em>差不多</em> 到 公园 门口 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàbuduō</em> dào gōngyuán ménkǒu le.</span><span class="trans">I'm almost at the entrance of the park.</span></li>
<li>电影 <em>差不多</em> 要 开始 了。<span class="pinyin">Diànyǐng <em>chàbuduō</em> yào kāishǐ le.</span><span class="trans">The movie is almost about to start.</span></li>
<li>今天 的 工作 <em>差不多</em> 做 完 了。<span class="pinyin">Jīntiān de gōngzuò <em>chàbuduō</em> zuò wán le.</span><span class="trans">Today's work is almost done.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="差不多-chàbuduō-with-a-quantity-or-time-phrase">差不多 (chàbuduō) with a Quantity or Time Phrase</h2>
<p>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.</p>
<h3 id="structure-3">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>差不多 ＋ [Quantity Phrase] / [Time Phrase]</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-3">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>你 儿子 <em>差不多</em> 五 岁 了 吧？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ érzi <em>chàbuduō</em> wǔ suì le ba?</span><span class="trans">Your son should be about 5 years old, right?</span></li>
<li>他 住 在 上海 <em>差不多</em> 三 个 月 了。<span class="pinyin">Tā zhù zài Shànghǎi <em>chàbuduō</em> sān gè yuè le.</span><span class="trans">He has lived in Shanghai for about three months.</span></li>
<li>我 在 这 家 公司 工作 了 <em>差不多</em> 十 年 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ zài zhè jiā gōngsī gōngzuò le <em>chàbuduō</em> shí nián le.</span><span class="trans">I've worked for this company for almost ten years.</span></li>
<li>我 父母 结婚 <em>差不多</em> 二十 年 了。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ fùmǔ jiéhūn <em>chàbuduō</em> èrshí nián le.</span><span class="trans">My parents have been married for about twenty years.</span></li>
<li><em>差不多</em> 两 个 星期 以前，我 在 北京 见 过 他。<span class="pinyin"><Em>Chàbuduō</em> liǎng gè xīngqí yǐqián, wǒ zài Běijīng jiàn guo tā.</span><span class="trans">About two weeks ago I met with him in Beijing.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="Expressing_&quot;almost&quot;_using_&quot;chadian_mei&quot;" title="wikilink">Expressing &quot;almost&quot; using &quot;chadian mei&quot;</a></li>
<li><a href="Expressing_&quot;almost&quot;_using_&quot;chadian&quot;" title="wikilink">Expressing &quot;almost&quot; using &quot;chadian&quot;</a></li>
<li><a href="&quot;Nearly&quot;_with_&quot;jihu&quot;" title="wikilink">&quot;Nearly&quot; with &quot;jihu&quot;</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="现代汉语八百词（增订本）" class="uri" title="wikilink">现代汉语八百词（增订本）</a> (p. 111) <a href="http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1345693275&amp;sr=8-1">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1" title="wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1</a> (pp. 54-5) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399369&amp;creativeASIN=0887276792">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar" title="wikilink">Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar</a> (p. 116) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=1933330899">→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<h3 id="dictionaries">Dictionaries</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="现代汉语词典（第5版）" class="uri" title="wikilink">现代汉语词典（第5版）</a> (p. 145) <a href="http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1345693609&amp;sr=8-1">→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p>        </p>
<p><a href="Category:A2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category:A2 grammar points</a></p>