A 比 B + Adjective +
Reach for this when you want to compare two things and add HOW MUCH the difference is — 'A is [adj] than B, by [degree].' The bare 比 sentence (A 比 B 高) says A is taller; tacking on 一点儿, 得多, or a number makes it precise: a little taller, much taller, two centimeters taller. This is the news-grade comparative — '比普通人要大得多' is exactly the move newspapers make when reporting size or scale differences.
Structure
A 比 B [ADJECTIVE] [DEGREE]
A bǐ B [ADJ] [DEGREE]
How to Think About It
Degree words attach AFTER the adjective in Chinese, not before. English says 'much taller'; Chinese says 高得多 ('tall by-a-lot'). The slot order is fixed: subject, 比, comparison-target, adjective, then the degree modifier. Trying to front-load the degree ('much' before the adjective) is the most common breakage point.
Examples
他比普通人要大得多。
Tā bǐ pǔtōngrén yào dà de duō.
He is much bigger than the average person.
今天比昨天热一点儿。
Jīntiān bǐ zuótiān rè yìdiǎnr.
Today is a little hotter than yesterday.
这本书比那本书贵十块钱。
Zhè běn shū bǐ nà běn shū guì shí kuài qián.
This book is ten yuan more expensive than that one.
Common Mistake
Learners drop in 很 or 非常 before the adjective ('A 比 B 很高'), copying English 'A is much taller than B.' In Chinese, 很 and 非常 can NOT appear inside a 比 sentence — degree goes after the adjective as 得多, 多了, or a measurable amount.
他比我很高。
他比我高得多。
Don't Confuse With
A 比 B + Adjective (no degree)
The bare comparative — just says A outranks B without specifying by how much. Add the degree only when 'a little / much / by X' actually matters.
A 没有 B + Adjective
The opposite move — says A does NOT match B's level: 我没有他高 = 'I'm not as tall as him.' Use 没有 for negative comparison, 比 for positive.
A 跟 B 一样 + Adjective
Equality, not comparison: A 跟 B 一样高 = 'A is as tall as B.' Use this when there is no difference.
Practice
他 ___ 我高得多。
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比
今天比昨天热 ___ 点儿。
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一
Arrange: [比 / 得多 / 普通人 / 他 / 大]
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他比普通人大得多。
Translate to Chinese: 'This phone is two hundred yuan more expensive than that one.'
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这个手机比那个手机贵两百块钱。
Write one sentence using A 比 B + adjective + degree about two cities you know.
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Example answer: 北京比上海冷得多。 (Beijing is much colder than Shanghai.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: