The Direct Comparative Bridge: Linking two items without modifier clutter.
A 比 B + Adjective directly establishes comparison. Never insert 很, 非常, or 太 into a basic 比 sentence.
比
HSK-G-95Common Usage & Traps
Why does 我比他很高 sound wrong when 很 usually means 'very'?
Drop 很 in 比 sentences. 比 already carries the comparison.
Use 比 + person + adjective, and leave the adjective bare in a 比 sentence. 他很高兴 means 'he is very happy,' but 他比我高兴 means 'he is happier than me.' Adding 很 after 比 makes the comparison sound like a robot error. Native speakers say 我比他高, not 我比他很高.
| Situation / Pattern | Formula | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comparing two people | A + 比 + B + adjective | 他比我高 | 他比我很高 |
| Comparing two things | A + 比 + B + adjective | 这个比那个好 | 这个比那个很好 |
Why does 比 go before the adjective in 他比我高, not after it like English 'than'?
比 sits before the adjective, not after it. Never say 他高比我.
比 comes before the person you compare against, not after the adjective. The order is A + 比 + B + adjective, as in 他比我高. English puts 'than' after the adjective, so copying English word order breaks the sentence. If you copy English, you will build a sentence that sounds broken to native ears. Say 他比我高, and never say 他高比我.
| Situation / Pattern | Formula | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comparing height | A + 比 + B + 高 | 他比我高 | 他高比我 |
| Comparing goodness | A + 比 + B + 好 | 这个比那个好 | 这个好比那个 |
| Comparing age with 大 | A + 比 + B + 大 | 他比我大 | 他大比我 |
Appears in Stories 2 stories
In this dialogue, two people chat while waiting outside a cinema. You'll hear common phrases for talking about hobbies, sports, and movie preferences.
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有的时候，老电影比现在的新电影有意思。
Sometimes old movies are more interesting than today's new ones.
Meet Xiao Shang, who is heading back to Shanghai. She compares two ways to travel and tells us why she prefers the slower one. This story helps you practice comparing transportation in simple Chinese.
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坐火车比坐飞机便宜得多，去飞机场也要花很多时间，所以，小商觉得坐火车比坐飞机好。
Taking the train is much cheaper than flying, and getting to the airport also takes a lot of time, so Xiao Shang thinks taking the train is better than flying.
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