▎比, bĭ, (Prep), Comparison (1)

 

Function The 比 preposition indicates an explicit comparison between two items.

1 山上的風景比這裡漂亮。

Shān shàng de fēngjǐng bǐ zhèlǐ piàoliàng.

The view on the mountain is more beautiful than here.

2 我們學校比他們學校遠。

Wǒmen xuéxiào bǐ tāmen xuéxiào yuǎn.

Our school is farther away than their school.

3 坐捷運比坐火車快。

Zuò jiéyùn bǐ zuò huǒchē kuài.

Taking the MRT is faster than taking the train.

 

Structures A 比 B Vs

Negation：The 比 pattern can be negated by either 不bù or 不是búshì.

1 在家上網不比在學校快。

Zài jiā shàngwǎng bù bǐ zài xuéxiào kuài.

Using the internet at home is not faster than using it at school.

2 我的車不比他的車貴。

Wǒ de chē bù bǐ tā de chē guì.

My car is not more expensive than his.

3 坐公車不是比坐計程車快。

Zuò gōngchē búshì bǐ zuò jìchéngchē kuài.

Taking the bus is not faster than taking a taxi.

Questions：

1 他們學校比你們學校遠嗎？

Tāmen xuéxiào bǐ nǐmen xuéxiào yuǎn ma?

Is their school farther away than your school?

2 這種手機比那種貴嗎？

Zhè zhǒng shǒujī bǐ nà zhǒng guì ma?

Is this kind of cellphone more expensive than that kind?

 

Usage In the 比 pattern, intensifying adverbs like 很hěn ‘very’, 真zhēn ‘really’, and 非常fēicháng ‘very’ do not appear before the Vs. It is incorrect, therefore, to say:

1 ＊我的手機比他的很貴。（Should be: 我的手機比他的貴得多。）

＊Wǒ de shǒujī bǐ tā de hěn guì. (Should be: Wǒ de shǒujī bǐ tā de guì de duō. ‘my cellphone is much more expensive than his’.)

2 ＊坐高鐵比坐火車非常快。（Should be: 坐高鐵比坐火車快得多。）

＊Zuò gāotiě bǐ zuò huǒchē fēicháng kuài. (Should be: Zuò gāotiě bǐ zuò huǒchē kuài de duō. ‘Taking the High Speed Rail is much faster than the train.’)