To compare two things in Mandarin, use A 比 B + adjective, and add the size of the difference after the adjective when you know it. This appears whenever a speaking task asks you to describe two choices, such as two ways to travel or two hobbies. It is the first speaking skill in Mandarin listening and speaking.
All speakers and answers below are invented.
What patterns do you need?
Four patterns cover most comparisons.
| Meaning | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A is more than B | A 比 B + adj | 骑车比坐车快 |
| A is more than B by an amount | A 比 B + adj + amount | 比坐车快五分钟 |
| A is less than B | A 没有 B + adj | 骑车没有坐车舒服 |
| A is the same as B | A 跟 B 一样 + adj | 骑车跟走路一样健康 |
For a stronger difference, add 更 or 得多 to the 比 pattern: 今天比昨天更热; 今天比昨天热得多.
How do you build a clear spoken comparison?
- Name both things so the listener knows what you compare.
- Choose one adjective that fits the question, such as 快, 贵 or 舒服.
- Say the 比 sentence with the amount if you have one.
- Add the other side with 没有 or 不过.
- Give your choice and one reason.
Worked example
Prompt (invented): compare two ways of going to school.
我觉得骑自行车比坐公共汽车快。从我家骑车到学校要十五分钟，坐公共汽车要二十分钟，所以骑车比坐车快五分钟。不过下雨的时候，骑车没有坐车舒服。所以我平时骑车，下雨天才坐车。
(Wǒ juéde qí zìxíngchē bǐ zuò gōnggòng qìchē kuài. Cóng wǒ jiā qí chē dào xuéxiào yào shíwǔ fēnzhōng, zuò gōnggòng qìchē yào èrshí fēnzhōng, suǒyǐ qí chē bǐ zuò chē kuài wǔ fēnzhōng. Bùguò xià yǔ de shíhou, qí chē méiyǒu zuò chē shūfu. Suǒyǐ wǒ píngshí qí chē, xià yǔ tiān cái zuò chē.)
Check the numbers: 20 minus 15 is 5, so 快五分钟 is correct. The answer names both options, compares with 比, shows the amount, gives the other side with 没有 and ends with a choice.
The mistake to watch for
A common slip is to put 很 after 比, because 很 usually sits before an adjective in a plain sentence.
Mistaken sentence: 骑车比坐车很快。
The student carried over the pattern 骑车很快 and added 比 without removing 很.
The correction is 骑车比坐车快, or 骑车比坐车快得多 for a bigger gap. A second slip is 我的房间比哥哥的房间不大. Use 没有 for the negative: 我的房间没有哥哥的房间大.
Check yourself
Say each corrected sentence aloud, then open the answer.
1. Fix: 今天比昨天很热。
Show answer
Remove 很. 今天比昨天热 (or 更热, 热得多).
2. Fix: 我的房间比哥哥的房间不大。
Show answer
Use 没有 for “less than”. 我的房间没有哥哥的房间大。
3. A blue bag costs 60 块 and a black bag costs 45 块. Compare them with an amount.
Show answer
60 minus 45 is 15. 蓝色的书包比黑色的书包贵十五块。 Or: 黑色的书包没有蓝色的书包贵。
Where this leads next
Now practise stretching an answer in extending a response to an unfamiliar follow-up. To check how your tones sound, record your model answer and follow reviewing pronunciation through local playback.
A teacher in online one-to-one Chinese tuition can listen to your own comparisons, so the patterns grow from topics you actually talk about.