▎差不多, chàbùduō, (Vs, Adv), In Various Functions

 

Function 差不多, literally ‘differ not much’, functions variously as a state verb and adverb.

 

Structures 差不多 functions in many parts of speech and in various meanings, as illustrated below.

(1) 差不多Vs, as a predicate, about the same, roughly equivalent.

1 我們開始學中文的時間差不多。

Wǒmen kāishǐ xué Zhōngwén de shíjiān chàbùduō.

We started studying Chinese at about the same time.

2 那幾家超市賣的東西都差不多。

Nà jǐ jiā chāoshì mài de dōngxi dōu chàbùduō.

Those supermarkets all sell about the same things.

3 我們國家的夏天和這裡差不多。

Wǒmen guójiā de xiàtiān hàn zhèlǐ chàbùduō.

The summers in our country are about the same as here.

(2) 差不多Vs, as a verb complement, almost completed.

1 我的功課寫得差不多了。

Wǒ de gōngkè xiě de chàbùduō le.

My homework is almost done.

2 我的旅行計畫得差不多了，你看一看吧！

Wǒ de lǚxíng jìhuà de chàbùduō le, nǐ kàn yí kàn ba!

My trip is pretty much all planned out, here, take a look!

3 找工作的事準備得差不多了。

Zhǎo gōngzuò de shì zhǔnbèi de chàbùduō le.

(I am) almost done preparing to look for work.

(3) 差不多 as an adverb, modifier of verbs, about, approximately.

1 從這裡到捷運站，差不多（走）十分鐘。

Cóng zhèlǐ dào jiéyùn zhàn, chàbùduō (zǒu) shí fēnzhōng.

From here to the MRT station, it’s about a 10 minute walk.

2 哥哥和弟弟差不多高。

Gēge hàn dìdi chàbùduō gāo.

The older brother and the younger brother are almost the same height.

3 我差不多學了四個月的中文了。

Wǒ chàbùduō xuéle sì ge yuè de Zhōngwén le.

I have studied Chinese for about four months now.

Questions：

1 從學校到捷運站差不多得走多久？

Cóng xuéxiào dào jiéyùn zhàn chàbùduō děi zǒu duōjiǔ?

About how long does it take to walk from the school to the MRT station?

2 你的考試準備得差不多了嗎？

Nǐ de kǎoshì zhǔnbèi de chàbùduō le ma?

Are you almost done preparing for the exam?

3 這兩個房間的房租是不是差不多？

Zhè liǎng ge fángjiān de fángzū shìbúshì chàbùduō?

Is the rent for these two rooms about the same?

 

Usage Sometimes it’s common for Chinese people to respond with 差不多, making it difficult to figure out what the truth is.

1 A：你新年要吃的東西都準備了嗎？

Nǐ Xīnnián yào chī de dōngxi dōu zhǔnbèi le ma?

Have you prepared the food for New Year’s?

B：差不多了。

Chàbùduō le.

Just about.

2 A：我們準備要去餐廳了嗎？

Wǒmen zhǔnbèi yào qù cāntīng le ma?

Are we ready to go to the restaurant?

B：差不多了。

Chàbùduō le.

Almost.

3 A：你習慣花蓮的生活了嗎？

Nǐ xíguàn Huālián de shēnghuó le ma?

Are you used to life in Hualien?

B：差不多了。

Chàbùduō le.

More or less.