比 comparison
Reach for this when you need to quantify a comparison — not just 'faster' but 'nine seconds faster,' not just 'bigger' but 'twice as big.' The base A 比 B + Adj structure says one thing exceeds another; tacking a measure phrase onto the end tells the listener by exactly how much. This is the workhorse of price comparisons, sports times, statistics, and any sentence where 'a lot more' or 'a little less' matters. Numbers and amounts go AFTER the adjective, never before it.
Structure
[A] 比 [B] [ADJ] [AMOUNT]
bǐ... [ADJ] [AMOUNT]
How to Think About It
The adjective tells you which direction A wins; the amount tells you the size of the gap. Slot order matters: number-words (一点 a little, 得多 much more, 一倍 twice, 九秒 nine seconds) cling to the back of the adjective, never the front. If you find yourself wanting to say '很 + adj' for emphasis, drop the 很 and put the size word at the end instead — that's where Chinese stores the 'how much' in a 比 sentence.
Examples
她比以前快了九秒。
Tā bǐ yǐqián kuài le jiǔ miǎo.
She's nine seconds faster than before.
这件衣服比那件贵一百块。
Zhè jiàn yīfu bǐ nà jiàn guì yìbǎi kuài.
This piece of clothing is a hundred kuai more expensive than that one.
今年的学生比去年多了一倍。
Jīnnián de xuésheng bǐ qùnián duō le yí bèi.
There are twice as many students this year as last year.
Common Mistake
Learners describe the gap with 很 or 非常 before the adjective ('A is very bigger than B'). Chinese rejects this — the comparative meaning already lives in 比, and degree expressions must follow the adjective.
俄罗斯比乌克兰非常大。
俄罗斯比乌克兰大很多。
Don't Confuse With
A 比 B 还 [ADJ]
Use 还 when B is already high on the trait and A surprises you by going further. The plain 比 comparison doesn't carry that surprise.
A 比 B 更 [ADJ]
Use 更 when both A and B are high on the trait and you want 'even more so.' For neutral side-by-side comparison, drop 更.
A 有 B (这么/那么) [ADJ]
Use this when you want to say A reaches B's level — 'as Adj as.' 比 says A goes past B, not matches it.
Practice
Fill in the blank: 我比他高 ___ 厘米。 (five centimeters)
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五
Fill in the blank: 北京 ___ 上海冷得多。
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比
Arrange: 贵 / 这本书 / 那本书 / 比 / 二十块
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这本书比那本书贵二十块。
Translate: This car is twice as expensive as that one.
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这辆车比那辆车贵一倍。
Write a sentence comparing two things with a specific amount.
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今天比昨天热五度。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 4 Fluentide episodes:
俄罗斯比乌克兰大很多。
俄罗斯比乌克兰大很多。
你一辈子的钱也没有这么多。