Comparative Sentences (1) – 比较句 (1)

Comparative Sentences (1)

The basic pattern of “比 sentence” is “A比B ……”. It’s used to show the result of the comparison of A and B.

A比B + Adjective

e.g.

姐姐比弟弟高。(Jiějie bǐ dìdi gāo.) The older sister is taller than the younger brother.

你比我漂亮。(Nǐ bǐ wǒ piàoliang.) You are more beautiful than me.

The interrogative form:

A 比 B + Adjective + 吗？

e.g.

他比你高吗？(Tā bǐ nǐ gāo ma?) Is he taller than you?

你比我漂亮吗？(Nǐ bǐ wǒ piàoliang ma?) Are you more beautiful than me?

The negative form:

i) A没(有) B + Adjective

e.g.

他没有我高。(Tā méiyǒu wǒ gāo.) He is not taller than I am.

>> His height < My height

ii) A不比 B + adjective

e.g.

他不比我高。(Tā bù bǐ wǒ gāo.)

a) His height ≈ My height (His height is almost the same as mine)

b) His height < My height (He is shorter than I am)

The sentence他不比我高(Tā bùbǐ wǒ gāo) has two possible meanings like above. Actually, this negative form is not only a comparative sentence. It also expresses the tone of the dispute. In contrast, the sentence“他没有我高(Tā méiyǒu wǒ gāo)“just focuses on the fact itself.

More examples:

我不比你矮。(Wǒ bù bǐ nǐ ǎi.) I am not shorter than you.

我也不比你笨啊，可是我为什么总学不会。(Wǒ yě bù bǐ nǐ bèn a, kěshì wǒ wèishénme zǒng xué bú huì.) I am not stupider than you, but why I can’t already learn that.

What’s more, there are differences between the adjectives used in these two negative forms. Generally, the adjectives in “A 没有B + adjective“ should be positive words, but there are no such limits in  “A 不比B + adjective. “ However，if you want to emphasize a passive meaning, you can use words like “那么(nàme)“ before the passive adjectives.

e.g.

√ 我没有你聪明。(Wǒ méiyǒu nǐ cōngmíng.) I am not clever than you.

✘ 我没有你笨。(Wǒ méiyǒu nǐ bèn.) I am not stupider than you.

√ 我没有你那么笨。(Wǒ méiyǒu nǐ nàme bèn) I am not stupider than you.

If the two items being compared share identical components, the identical parts in the latter half of the sentence can be omitted.

e.g.

我的房间比他的（房间）大。(Wǒ de fángjiān bǐ tā de fángjiān dà.) My room is bigger than his (room)

你的钱不比弟弟的（钱）多。（Nǐ de qián bùbǐ dìdi de qián duō.）Your money is not more than your brother’s (money).