比 (bǐ): comparisons

A 比 B + adjective — how Chinese compares, how to say by how much, and the mistake with 很 everyone makes once.

The pattern

A 比 B + adjective: literally "A compared-to B is-adjective". No word for "more" is needed — the comparison IS the pattern.

今天比昨天冷。

jīntiān bǐ zuótiān lěng.

Today is colder than yesterday.

地铁比公共汽车快。

dìtiě bǐ gōnggòng qìchē kuài.

The subway is faster than the bus.

Saying by how much

The size of the gap comes AFTER the adjective: 一点儿 for a little, 多了 for a lot, or an exact amount.

他比我高一点儿。

tā bǐ wǒ gāo yìdiǎnr.

He's a little taller than me.

地铁比公共汽车快多了。

dìtiě bǐ gōnggòng qìchē kuài duō le.

The subway is much faster than the bus.

妹妹比我小三岁。

mèimei bǐ wǒ xiǎo sān suì.

My little sister is three years younger than me.

The 很 trap, and negating

You cannot intensify inside a comparison: 比我很高 is wrong, because 很 states a degree and 比 measures a difference. Use 得多 / 多了 instead. To negate, the everyday pattern is A 没有 B (+adjective) — "A isn't as … as B".

我没有他高。

wǒ méiyǒu tā gāo.

I'm not as tall as he is.

今天没有昨天那么冷。

jīntiān méiyǒu zuótiān nàme lěng.

Today isn't as cold as yesterday.

Look up the word: 比 · All grammar guides

Patterns stick when you meet them in sentences you can read. The app drills each one at i+1, scheduled by FSRS.

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