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When indicating having not reached a certain degree, but close to it, both差一点儿 and 差不多 can be applied. In this case, we usually use 差一点儿 other than 差点儿.
e.g.
A: 今天的工作完成了吗？(Jīntiān de gōngzuò wánchéng le ma?) Has today’s work been completed?
B: 差一点儿了。/ 差不多了。(Chà yīdiǎnr le. / Chàbùduō le.) Almost.
This pot of soup will take two hours to boil. Now it’s one hour and fifty minutes, and it’s almost done.
这锅汤要煮两个小时，现在已经一个小时五十分钟了，只差一点儿了。(Zhè guō tāng yào zhǔ liǎng gè xiǎoshí, xiànzài yǐjīng yīgè xiǎoshí wǔshí fēnzhōng le, zhǐ chà yīdiǎnr le.)
这锅汤要煮两个小时，现在已经一个小时五十分钟了，差不多了。(Zhè guō tāng yào zhǔ liǎng gè xiǎoshí, xiànzài yǐjīng yīgè xiǎoshí wǔshí fēnzhōngle, chàbùduō le.)
This bottle of wine is almost finished.
这瓶酒还差一点儿就喝完了。(Zhè píng jiǔ hái chà yīdiǎnr jiù hē wánle.)
这瓶酒差不多喝完了。(Zhè píng jiǔ chàbùduō hē wánle.)
Note that both of the phrases work in these sentences on grammar. But they still differ a little bit in meaning. 差一点儿 indicates it’s a pity that the degree has not been reached. 差不多 indicates that although the degree has not been reached, it is basically satisfactory.
Only 差一点儿 or 差点儿 can be used in the following cases.
It indicates that the thing was not realized, even though it’s hoped to take place.
e.g.
我差点儿就得比赛冠军了。(Wǒ chàdiǎnr jiù dé bǐsài guànjūn le.) I almost won the championship.
>> 我没得比赛冠军。I didn’t get first place in this competition.
我差一点儿就赶上地铁了，最后还是迟到了。(Wǒ chà yīdiǎnr jiù gǎn shàng dìtiěle, zuìhòu háishì chídàole.) I almost caught the subway, and I was still late in the end.
>> 我没赶上地铁。I didn’t catch the subway.
你差点儿就得到这份工作了，下次继续努力吧！(Nǐ chàdiǎnr jiù dédào zhè fèn gōngzuòle, xià cì jìxù nǔlì ba!) You almost got the job, keep working hard next time!
>> 你没得到这份工作。You didn’t get the job.
It indicates that the thing was finally realized, and it’s hoped to take place.
e.g.
我差点儿没得比赛冠军。(Wǒ chàdiǎnr méi dé bǐsài guànjūn.) I almost didn’t win the competition.
>> 我得了比赛冠军。I won the competition and got first place.
我差一点儿没赶上地铁，否则就迟到了。(Wǒ chà yīdiǎnr méi gǎn shàng dìtiě, fǒuzé jiù chídàole.) I almost missed the subway, otherwise I would be late.
>> 我赶上了地铁，并且没迟到。I caught the subway and was not late.
你差点儿没得到这份工作，还好最后还是得到了！(Nǐ chàdiǎnr méi dédào zhè fèn gōngzuò, hái hǎo zuìhòu háishì dédào le!) You almost didn’t get the job, but luckily you got it in the end!
>> 你得到了这份工作。You got the job.
差一点儿 + 没 + something that is not hoped to take place
Both of these two patterns indicate that it was not realized which is not hoped to take place.
e.g.
I was almost late!
我差点儿迟到了！(Wǒ chàdiǎnr chídào le!)
我差点儿没迟到！(Wǒ chàdiǎnr méi chídào!)
>> 我没迟到。I was not late.
>> 迟到 is not what I hoped.
They were almost deceived.
他们差点儿被骗了。(Tāmen chàdiǎnr bèi piàn le.)
他们差点儿没被骗。(Tāmen chàdiǎnr méi bèi piàn.)
>> 他们没被骗。They didn’t get deceived.
>> 被骗 is not hoped.
My friend almost lost his job.
朋友差点儿丢了工作。(Péngyǒu chàdiǎnr diūle gōngzuò.)
朋友差点儿没丢了工作。(Péngyǒu chàdiǎnr méi diūle gōngzuò.)
>> 朋友没丢工作。My friend didn’t lose his job.
>> 丢工作 is not hoped.
Only 差不多 is used in the following cases.
e.g.
这个公司差不多有三十个人。(Zhège gōngsī chàbùduō yǒu sānshí gè rén.) There are almost thirty people in this company.
他差不多一米八。(Tā chàbùduō yī mǐ bā.) He is almost 1.8 meters.
HSK六级差不多要学习5000个词。(HSK liù jí chàbùduō yào xuéxí 5000 gè cí.) HSK Level 6 requires almost 5,000 words to learn.
e.g.
“慢慢”和“渐渐”这两个词的意思差不多吗？(“Mànmàn” hé “jiànjiàn” zhè liǎng gè cí de yìsi chàbùduō ma?) Do the words “mànmàn” and ” jiànjiàn” mean the same thing?
我儿子和你差不多高。(Wǒ érzi hé nǐ chàbùduō gāo.) My son is about the same height as you.
这两个手机的价格差不多。(Zhè liǎng gè shǒujī de jiàgé chàbùduō.) The prices of these two phones are similar.
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