Languages 1001

Are you taller than your best friend? Is your backpack cooler than Haoran’s? It’s time to brag (or admit defeat) in Mandarin! Today's grammar: comparison sentences using 比 (bǐ) and 没有 (méiyǒu).

1. Using 比 (bǐ) — “A is more ... than B”

This is how you say one thing has more of a quality than another. Structure:
A 比 B + adjective

• 我朋友比我高。 (Wǒ péngyǒu bǐ wǒ gāo.)
  My friend is taller than me.
• 这个手机比那个贵。 (Zhège shǒujī bǐ nàge guì.)
  This phone is more expensive than that one.

Humor time:
Lili walks into work. Jianguo looks at her coffee cup and says,
建国： 你的咖啡比我的大！
(Nǐ de kāfēi bǐ wǒ de dà!)
Your coffee is bigger than mine!

2. Using 没有 (méiyǒu) — “A is not as ... as B”

Switch it up! Sometimes, you want to say something does not have as much of a quality as another. Structure:
A 没有 B + adjective

• 昨天没有今天热。 (Zuótiān méiyǒu jīntiān rè.)
  Yesterday was not as hot as today.
• 这个书包没有那个好看。 (Zhège shūbāo méiyǒu nàge hǎokàn.)
  This backpack is not as good-looking as that one.

Xiaotong sighs as Haoran brags,
浩然： 我的分数没有你的高。
(Wǒ de fēnshù méiyǒu nǐ de gāo.)
My score isn’t as high as yours.

Remember:

• 比 = more ... than
• 没有 = not as ... as

Quick tips:

• No need for "is" (是) in these sentences!
• No need to use 很 (hěn) either.
• If you want, add a little "pleasantry": you can use 多了 / 一点儿 after the adjective for "much more"/"a bit more". But that's more advanced!

Try it! Who is taller, richer, funnier? Or maybe... not as funny as?