Comparisons
Comparing with 比 and 比较, the most with 最, and the same with 跟 ... 一样 or 和 ... 一样. At Higher, by how much: 高得多, or taller by five centimetres.
Learn
Comparisons, explained point by point
Everything the GCSE specification expects you to be able to do, and how to actually do it - the same lesson a signed-in student studies from.
Compare two things with 比
One thing, 比, the other, then the adjective: 我比我哥哥高。 (I'm taller than my brother.) 今天比昨天冷。 The adjective stands on its own here, with no 很 or 非常.
Say fairly or quite with 比较
比较 before an adjective means fairly, with no second thing named: 这个学校比较大。 (This school is fairly big.) 我比较喜欢数学。 (I quite like maths.)
Say the most with 最
最 before an adjective or a verb means the most: 我最喜欢的科目是历史。 (My favourite subject is history.) 在我们家，我最高。 (I'm the tallest in our family.)
Say the same with 跟…一样
One thing, 跟, the other, 一样: 我的手机跟你的一样。 (My phone is the same as yours.) Add an adjective for as … as: 我跟我姐姐一样高。 和 can take the place of 跟.
Say different with 不一样
Put 不 before 一样: 英国的天气跟中国的不一样。 (The weather in Britain is different from China's.) 一样 and 不一样 can also end a sentence on their own: 我们不一样。
Say not as … as with 没有…那么
One thing, 没有, the other, 那么 and the adjective: 伦敦没有北京那么冷。 (London isn't as cold as Beijing.) 那么 can be left out: 我没有他高。 (I'm not as tall as him.)
Say by how much: the amount goes after the adjectiveHigher only
The difference comes last: 我比他大两岁。 (I'm two years older than him.) 这件比那件贵五十块。 (This one is ¥50 dearer than that one.) For a little, add 一点儿: 今天比昨天热一点儿。
Say much more with 得多, and even more with 更Higher only
得多 after the adjective means much more: 北京比伦敦大得多。 更 before the adjective means even more: 今天比昨天更冷。 On its own, 更喜欢 means prefer: 我更喜欢夏天。
Comparisons key terms
The words the specification and the mark schemes use, each defined the way an examiner wants it.
- 比
- Than: one thing, 比, the other, and an adjective, as in 我比他高.
- 比较
- Fairly or quite, before an adjective: 比较难.
- 最
- Most, before an adjective or a verb: 最好, 最喜欢.
- 跟…一样
- The same as, or as … as with an adjective: 我跟他一样高.
- 不一样
- Different, not the same, often at the end of a sentence: 我们不一样.
- 没有…那么
- Not as … as, with the adjective last: 我没有他那么高.
- 得多Higher only
- Much more, after the adjective in a comparison: 大得多.
- 更Higher only
- Even more, before the adjective: 更冷. With 喜欢, prefer.
Common mistakes in Comparisons
The slips that cost marks year after year, and what to do instead.
Putting 很 into a 比 sentence, as in 我比他很高.
The adjective stands alone after 比: 我比他高. For even more, put 更 before it: 我比他更高.
Using English order, as in 我高比他.
比 and the other thing come before the adjective: 我比他高.
Saying 伦敦不比北京冷 for London is not as cold as Beijing.
Use 没有: 伦敦没有北京那么冷. 不比 means no more than, which says something else.
Putting 一样 after the adjective, as in 我跟他高一样.
一样 comes first and the adjective after it, the reverse of English: 我跟他一样高.
Putting the amount before the adjective, as in 我比他两岁大.Higher only
The amount of the difference goes last, after the adjective: 我比他大两岁.
Practice
Try a Comparisons question
A GCSE-style original question from this topic. Have a go before you open the working - deciding on an answer first is what makes the working stick.
Which sentence means 'My younger brother is even taller than me'?
- 我弟弟比我很高。
- 我弟弟比我还高。
- 我弟弟比还我高。
- 我弟弟还高比我。
Show the answer and the working
Answer: 我弟弟比我还高。
还 before the adjective in a 比 sentence means even: 比我还高, even taller than me.
- 我弟弟: my younger brother.
- 比我: than me.
- 还高: even taller.