Comparisons: A bǐ 比 B Positive comparisons: - Cchatty

Comparisons: A bǐ 比 B

Positive comparisons: How to say something or someone is more ___ than something or someone else, as in smaller, cheaper, faster, etc.:

A “compared to” B is ___
A bǐ 比 B [adjective] or [verb clause]

Japan is smaller than China.
Rìběn bǐ Zhōngguó xiǎo.
日本比中国小。
Literally: Japan compared to China is small.

Planes are faster than trains but are more expensive than trains.
Fēijī bǐ huǒchē kuài, kěshi bǐ huǒchē guì.
飞机比火车快，可是比火车贵。
Literally: Planes compared to trains are fast, but compared to trains are expensive.

It is incorrect to substitute bǐjiào 比较 for bǐ 比 in these cases; bǐjiào 比较 means “relatively,” not “compared to. . . ”:

That chair is relatively expensive. How about buying this chair?
Nèi bǎ yǐzi bǐjiào guì, nǐ mǎi zhèi bǎ yǐzi ba.
那把椅子比较贵，你买这把椅子吧。

much more or much less . . .
A 比 B + adjective + 多了/得多

To indicate degree of comparison, i.e. “much more . . . ” or “a little more . . . ,” add de duō 得多 or duō le 多了 after the adjective or verb clause for “much more. . . .”

NOTE: hěn 很 CANNOT be used in comparisons!

Cars are much faster than bicycles.
✔ CC: Qìchē bǐ zìxíngchē kuài de duō (or kuài duō le).
汽车比自行车快得多 (快多了)。
✖ BC: Qìchē bǐ zìxíngchē hěn kuài.
汽车比自行车很快。

Add yìdiǎn(r) 一点/一点儿 after the adjective or verb clause to express “a little more . . . ”: a little more . . . ; a little less . . .

A bǐ 比 B + adjective + yidian(r)
The U.S. is a little bigger than China.
Měiguó bǐ Zhōngguó dà yìdiǎn(r).
美国比中国大一点 (儿)。

Note: Bǐ 比 cannot be used in sentences with yíyàng 一样 (same) or with bùyíyàng 不一样 (not the same). Instead, use gēn 跟 or hé 和. After all, in English we don’t say, “Some Japanese customs compared to some Chinese customs are/aren’t the same,” but rather, “Some Japanese customs AND some Chinese customs are/aren’t the same”:

Some Japanese customs are the same as (some) Chinese customs.
Yǒude Rìběn fēngsú xíguàn gēn Zhōngguó de fēngsú xíguàn yíyàng.
有的日本风俗习惯跟中国的风俗习惯一样。
Literally: Some Japanese customs and (some) Chinese customs are the same.

Some Japanese customs aren’t the same as (some) Chinese customs.
Yǒude Rìběn fēngsú xíguàn gēn Zhōngguó de fēngsú xíguàn bù yíyàng.
有的日本风俗习惯跟中国的风俗习惯不一样。
Literally: Some Japanese customs and (some) Chinese customs aren’t the same.