Comparing Things in Chinese: 比, 更, 最 and 没有

Adding the difference

Put the amount after the adjective:

• 他比我高五厘米。 (Tā bǐ wǒ gāo wǔ límǐ.) — He is five centimetres taller than me.
• 我比他大两岁。 (Wǒ bǐ tā dà liǎng suì.) — I'm two years older than him.

Even more: 更 and 还

更 (gèng) and 还 (hái) mean "even more":

• 今天比昨天更冷。 (Jīntiān bǐ zuótiān gèng lěng.) — Today is even colder than yesterday.
• 这个比那个还好。 (Zhège bǐ nàge hái hǎo.) — This is even better than that.

The most: 最

最 (zuì) marks the superlative:

• 他是我们班最高的。 (Tā shì wǒmen bān zuì gāo de.) — He is the tallest in our class.
• 我最喜欢吃面。 (Wǒ zuì xǐhuan chī miàn.) — I like eating noodles the most.

Not as ... as: 没有

To say "A is not as X as B", use 没有 (méiyǒu):

• 我没有他高。 (Wǒ méiyǒu tā gāo.) — I'm not as tall as him.
• 今天没有昨天冷。 (Jīntiān méiyǒu zuótiān lěng.) — Today isn't as cold as yesterday.

Alternatively, use 不比 (bù bǐ), which can mean "not more than", a subtly different sense.

As ... as: 一样 and 跟...一样

• 我跟他一样高。 (Wǒ gēn tā yíyàng gāo.) — I'm as tall as him.
• 这两个一样贵。 (Zhè liǎng ge yíyàng guì.) — These two are equally expensive.

More and less: 多 and 少

For quantities, put 多 (duō) or 少 (shǎo) after the verb phrase: 他比我多吃了一碗。 (Tā bǐ wǒ duō chī le yì wǎn.) — He ate one more bowl than I did.

A little: 一点儿

For a small difference, add 一点儿 (yìdiǎnr): 他比我高一点儿。 (He's a bit taller than me.)

Common mistakes

• Using 很 with 比.
• Using 比 for "not as".
• Forgetting 一样 needs 跟 or 和.

Practice

1. Compare two cities, two foods or two friends.
2. Add a difference in numbers.
3. Use 最 for your favourites.
4. Look up any new adjectives in a dictionary.

Look up comparison words with English Chinese Dictionary →