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ChineseGrammarWiki


			
				
					
						
						
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<p>不如 (bùrú) can be used to make comparisons in a similar way as the <a href="Basic_comparisons_with_&quot;bi&quot;" title="wikilink">比</a> structure. In its simplest form 不如 is used to convey that A is 'not as good as' B. Unlike the 比 structure, when used in this way, the adjective or verb can be omitted.</p>
<h2 id="simple-pattern">Simple Pattern</h2>
<h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>A + 不如 + B</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>我 哥 的 成绩 <em>不如</em> 我 。<span class="trans">My elder brother's .</span></li>
<li>看 电影 <em>不如</em> 看 原著 。<span class="trans">Watching the movie isn't as good as reading the book.</span></li>
<li>他 总是 觉得 自己 <em>不如</em> 别人 。<span class="trans">He always thinks he's not as good as other people.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="advanced-pattern">Advanced Pattern</h2>
<p>When an adjective or verb is added to the structure it can then be used to mean A is not as 'adjective' as B, or A does not 'verb' as well as B:</p>
<h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>A + 不如 + B + Adj.</p>
</div>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>A + Verb + 得 + 不如 + B + Adj.</p>
</div>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>A + Verb-Obj. + 不如 + B+ (Verb + 得) + Adj.</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>这 件 裙子 <em>不如</em> 那 件 好看 。<span class="trans">This dress doesn't look as good as that one.</span></li>
<li>那个 说法 <em>不如</em> 这个 说法 实用 。<span class="trans">This saying isn't as practical as that one.</span></li>
<li>他 穿 得 <em>不如</em> 你 好看 。<span class="trans">He doesn't dress as well as you do.</span></li>
<li>我 担心 我 解释 得 <em>不如</em> 你 清楚 。<span class="trans">I'm afraid that I can't explain as clearly as you do.</span></li>
<li>他 说 中文 <em>不如</em> 他 老婆 说 得 地道 。<span class="trans">He doesn't speak Chinese as authentically as his wife does.</span></li>
<li>我 打字 <em>不如</em> 你 打 得 快 。<span class="trans">I don't type as fast as you do.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="不如-as-an-adverb">不如 as an Adverb</h2>
<p>When facing a choice, 不如 can also be used to mean &quot;might as well&quot; to emphasize the choice is the better of two options. When used like this, it is similar in meaning to 不妨.</p>
<h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>在 家 看 电视 多 无聊 ！<em>不如</em> 去 KTV 吧 。<span class="trans"> , might as well .</span></li>
<li>我们 在 这里 等 也 是 浪费 时间 ，<em>不如</em> 先 去 吃 个 饭 吧 。<span class="trans">It's a waste of time for us to wait here.We might as well go out and eat something first.</span></li>
<li><em>与其</em> 空想，<em>不如</em> 马上 行动 。<span class="trans">Rather than fantasizing, you might as well take action right away.</span></li>
<li><em>与其</em> 天天 吵架 ，<em>不如</em> 离婚 。<span class="trans">Rather than fighting each and every day, you might as well break up.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<p>As in the last two example sentences, 不如 often occurs in the 与其...不如 structure, meaning &quot;rather than X... might as well Y.&quot;</p>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="Basic_comparisons_with_&quot;bu_bi&quot;" title="wikilink">Basic comparisons with &quot;bu bi&quot;</a></li>
<li><a href="Basic_comparisons_with_&quot;meiyou&quot;" title="wikilink">Basic comparisons with &quot;meiyou&quot;</a></li>
<li><a href="Comparing_Specifically_with_&quot;xiang&quot;" title="wikilink">Comparing Specifically with &quot;xiang&quot;</a></li>
<li><a href="Comparing" class="uri" title="wikilink">Comparing</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="A_Practical_Chinese_Grammar_For_Foreigners_(外国人实用汉语语法)" title="wikilink">A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)</a> (pp. 543-7) <a href="http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-23&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;asin=B001J0ADWA&amp;camp=536&amp;creative=3132&amp;creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Boya_Chinese_Lower_Intermediate_1_(博雅汉语准中级加速篇)" title="wikilink">Boya Chinese Lower Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语准中级加速篇)</a> (pp. 38-9)<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7301075308/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=7301075308">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1" title="wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1</a> (pp. 89) <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="Short-term_Spoken_Chinese:_Elementary_(汉语口语速成基础篇)" title="wikilink">Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)</a> (pp. 80-1)<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00326U9MS/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=217145&amp;creative=399373&amp;creativeASIN=B00326U9MS">→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p>           </p>
<p><a href="Category:_B2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category: B2 grammar points</a></p>