▎比較, bĭjiào, (Adv), Implicit Comparison (3)

 

Function The adverb 比較 conveys implicit comparison. The comparison is understood based on the context.

1 今天比較熱。

Jīntiān bǐjiào rè.

Today is relatively hot.

2 越南餐廳很遠。坐捷運比較快。

Yuènán cāntīng hěn yuǎn. Zuò jiéyùn bǐjiào kuài.

The Vietnamese restaurant is very far. Taking the MRT would be faster.

3 我們家，姐姐比較會做飯。

Wǒmen jiā, jiějie bǐjiào huì zuòfàn.

In our family, my sister cooks better.

 

Structures Adverbs do not take negation directly. Negation goes with the main verb.

Negation：

1 昨天比較不熱。

Zuótiān bǐjiào bú rè.

Yesterday was less hot.

2 他比較不喜歡游泳。

Tā bǐjiào bù xǐhuān yóuyǒng.

He doesn’t like swimming as much. (compared to some other activity or to someone else)

3 我最近比較沒有空。

Wǒ zuìjìn bǐjiào méi yǒu kòng.

I have been relatively busy lately.

Questions：

1 咖啡和茶，你比較喜歡喝咖啡嗎？

Kāfēi hàn chá, nǐ bǐjiào xǐhuān hē kāfēi ma?

Coffee and tea, do you prefer drinking coffee?

2 你和哥哥，你比較會打棒球嗎？

Nǐ hàn gēge, nǐ bǐjiào huì dǎ bàngqiú ma?

Between you and your older brother, do you play baseball better?

3 他比較想去看美國電影還是日本電影？

Tā bǐjiào xiǎng qù kàn Měiguó diànyǐng háishì Rìběn diànyǐng?

Would he prefer to go watch an American movie or a Japanese movie?

 

Usage In mainland China, 比較 can be used as an adverb meaning ‘quite, rather’ without a sense of comparison. 他的法文說得比較好。Tā de Fǎwén shuō de bǐjiào hǎo. ‘He speaks French rather well.’ In Taiwan, 比較bǐjiào always indicates a comparison. 哥哥和我，我比較高。Gēge hàn wǒ, wǒ bǐjiào gāo.‘Between me and my brother, I am taller.’