A + 没有 + B + Adjective
Reach for this when you want to say one thing falls short of another on some quality — 'A isn't as ADJ as B.' It's the negative companion to 比 comparisons: instead of saying A is more, you're saying A doesn't reach B's level. Use it for height, taste, difficulty, importance, any measurable trait. The two things sit on either side of 没有, with the adjective at the end.
Structure
[A] 没有 [B] [ADJECTIVE]
[A] méiyǒu [B] [ADJECTIVE]
How to Think About It
没有 in this pattern is NOT 'doesn't have' — it's 'doesn't reach the level of.' Think of B as the bar; A doesn't clear it. You can optionally add 那么 before the adjective (我没有他那么高) to make the comparison more explicit. Like with 比 sentences, don't put 很 or 非常 before the adjective — those degree words break the comparison.
Examples
我没有我哥哥高。
Wǒ méiyǒu wǒ gēge gāo.
I'm not as tall as my older brother.
今天没有昨天那么冷。
Jīntiān méiyǒu zuótiān nàme lěng.
Today isn't as cold as yesterday.
这家店的菜没有那家好吃。
Zhè jiā diàn de cài méiyǒu nà jiā hǎochī.
The food at this restaurant isn't as tasty as that one.
Common Mistake
Learners try to use 不比 as the negative of 比, but 不比 actually means 'not necessarily more than' (a softer hedge), not 'less than.' To say A is less than B, use A 没有 B.
我不比他高。
我没有他高。
Don't Confuse With
A 比 B [ADJ]
The positive comparison ('A is more ADJ than B'). Flip to 没有 for 'A is less ADJ than B,' not 不比.
A 跟 B 一样 [ADJ]
Use 一样 when A equals B on the trait. 没有 asserts A falls short.
A 不如 B
不如 = 'not as good as,' similar to 没有 but a bit more written. 没有 needs an adjective after B; 不如 can stand alone.
Practice
我____我哥哥高。
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没有
今天没有昨天那么____。
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冷
Arrange: 没有 / 这家店 / 的菜 / 好吃 / 那家
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这家店的菜没有那家好吃。
Feet are not as flexible as hands.
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脚没有手灵活。
Write a sentence using A 没有 B [ADJ] comparing two places or foods.
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上海的冬天没有北京的冬天冷。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: