ChineseGrammarWiki/MD/A2/52.mw

{{AKA|比字句 (bǐ zì jù)}}
{{Grammar Box}} 

One of the most common words when [[comparing]] things in Chinese is to use [[比|比 (bǐ)]]. 比 (bǐ) has similarities to the English word "than," but it requires a word order that's not so intuitive, so you'll want to practice it quite a bit.

== Basic Usage ==

You could think of 比 (bǐ) as meaning "than," except that it sits between the two things being compared.  The [[word order]] will take a little getting used to, but aside from that, the pattern is quite easy.

=== Structure ===

To say that one thing is more ''adjective'' than another, the structure is:

<div class="jiegou">

Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + Adj.

</div>

The noun that's placed first is the one that comes out on top in the comparison. So in the sentence: 

<div class="liju">

* 小李 <em>比</em> 小张 <strong>高</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Xiǎo Lǐ <em>bǐ</em> Xiǎo Zhāng <strong>gāo </strong>.</span><span class="trans">Xiao Li is taller than Xiao Zhang.</span>

</div>

小李 (Xiǎo Lǐ) is taller. The same situation could be described as

<div class="liju">

* 小张 <em>比</em> 小李 <strong>矮</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Xiǎo Zhāng <em>bǐ</em> Xiǎo Lǐ <strong>ǎi </strong>.</span><span class="trans">Xiao Zhang is shorter than Xiao Li.</span>

</div>

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

* 他 <em>比</em> 老师 <strong>聪明</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bǐ</em> lǎoshī <strong>cōngming</strong>.</span><span class="trans">He is smarter than the teacher.</span>
* 上海 <em>比</em> 纽约 <strong>大</strong> 吗 ？<span class="pinyin">Shànghǎi <em>bǐ</em> Niǔyuē <strong>dà</strong> ma? </span><span class="trans">Is Shanghai bigger than New York?</span>
* 她 <em>比</em> 她 妈妈 <strong>漂亮</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā <em>bǐ</em> tā māma <strong> piàoliang </strong>.</span><span class="trans">She is prettier than her mother.</span>
* 星巴克 的 咖啡 <em>比</em> 这里 的 咖啡 <strong>贵</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Xīngbākè de kāfēi <em>bǐ</em> zhèlǐ de kāfēi <strong>guì</strong>.</span><span class="trans">The coffee at Starbucks is more expensive than the coffee here.</span>
* 地铁 <em>比</em> 公交车 <strong>方便</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Dìtiě <em>bǐ</em>  gōngjiāochē <strong>fāngbiàn</strong>.</span><span class="trans">The subway is more convenient than the bus.  </span>

</div>

== Common Errors ==

Try not to make these mistakes:

The adjective used in the comparison should be positive, not negative.

<div class="liju">

<ul>
<li class="x">我 <em>比</em> 你 <strong>不 聪明</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bǐ</em> nǐ <strong>bù cōngming </strong>.</span></li>
<li class="o">你 <em>比</em> 我 <strong>聪明</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bǐ</em> wǒ <strong>cōngming </strong>.</span><span class="trans">You are smarter than me.</span></li>
</ul>

</div>

比 (bǐ) is not used with 一样 (yīyàng).  比 (bǐ) is used when two things are ''not'' the same.

<div class="liju">

<ul>
<li class="x">我 <em>比</em> 你 <strong>一样</strong> 聪明 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>bǐ</em> nǐ <strong>yīyàng</strong> cōngming.</span></li>
<li class="o">我 <strong>跟</strong> 你 <strong>一样</strong> 聪明 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ <strong>gēn</strong> nǐ <strong>yīyàng</strong> cōngming.</span><span class="trans">I am as smart as you.</span></li>
</ul>

</div>

== Pattern Using 比 (bǐ) and 更 (gèng) ==

This is a slight upgrade of the basic 比 (bǐ) comparison pattern, adding in [[Expressing "even more" with "geng"|更 (gèng) before the adjective]]. 更 (gèng) means "even more," so the idea is that while one thing is already quite [adjective], this other thing is '''''even more''''' [adjective].  Pretty simple!

=== Structure ===

<div class="jiegou">

Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + 更 + Adj.

</div>

The only new thing here is the addition of 更 (gèng) before the adjective.

<div class="liju">

* 小李 <em>比</em> 小张 <strong>更 高</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Xiǎo Lǐ <em>bǐ</em> Xiǎo Zhāng <strong>gèng gāo </strong>.</span><span class="trans">Xiao Li is even taller than Xiao Zhang.</span>

</div>

The implication is that while Xiao Zhang is ''tall'', 小李 (Xiǎo Lǐ) is ''even taller''.

=== Examples ===

<div class="liju">

* 我 哥哥 <em>比</em> 我 <strong>更 高</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ gēge <em>bǐ</em> wǒ <strong>gèng gāo</strong>.</span><span class="trans">My big brother is even taller than me.</span>
* 你 男朋友 <em>比</em> 我男朋友 <strong> 更 帅 </strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ nánpéngyou <em>bǐ</em> wǒ nánpéngyou <strong>gèng shuài</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Your boyfriend is even more handsome than mine.</span>
* 这里 的 冬天 <em>比</em> 纽约 的 冬天 <strong>更 冷</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ de dōngtiān  <em>bǐ</em> Niǔyuē de dōngtiān <strong>gèng lěng</strong>.</span><span class="trans">The winter here is even colder than it is in New York.</span>
* 中文 语法 <em>比</em> 汉字 <strong>更 好玩</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngwén yǔfǎ  <em>bǐ</em> Hànzì <strong>gèng hǎowán</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Chinese grammar is even more fun than Chinese characters.</span>
* 你的 问题 <em>比</em> 我的 问题 <strong>更 麻烦</strong>。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de wèntí <em>bǐ</em> wǒ de wèntí <strong>gèng máfan</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Your problem is even more troublesome than mine.</span>

</div>

== See Also ==

Check these other comparison patterns out as well:

* [[Basic comparisons with "meiyou"]]
* [[Basic comparisons with "bu bi"]]
* [[Comparing]] (patterns across all levels)

== Sources and further reading ==

=== Books ===

* [[Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar]] (pp. 61-3) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899 →buy]
* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (p. 53) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 2 (新实用汉语课本2)]] (pp. 65-6) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561911297/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561911297 →buy]
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 6-8) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276709/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276709 →buy]
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)]] (pp. 184-5) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X →buy]

=== Websites ===

* Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0220.html Usage of 跟 and 比]

[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
[[Category:Comparison]]
{{Basic Grammar|比|A2|Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + Adj.|你 <em>比</em> 我 胖。|grammar point|ASG8SI2K}}
{{Similar|Expressing "much more" in comparisons}}     
{{Similar|Basic comparisons with "bu bi"}}     
{{Similar|Basic comparisons with "meiyou"}}
{{Similar|Expressing "even more" with "geng"}}
{{Used for|Comparing}}
{{POS|Prepositions}}