比...还...
Reach for this when you want to say 'X is even MORE [adjective] than Y' — pushing a comparison past the expected baseline. Use it for surprise comparisons (a movie scarier than the book), for hyperbole (a baby cuter than a kitten), or for emphasizing how extreme something is. The 还 carries the emotional punch: it's not just bigger, it's bigger than you'd expect.
Structure
[A] 比 [B] 还 [ADJ/VERB]
bǐ... hái...
How to Think About It
Plain 比 sets up a comparison ('A 比 B 大'). Adding 还 changes the flavor from 'A is bigger than B' to 'A is EVEN bigger than B' — with the implication that B is already pretty big. The 还 presupposes that B already meets the standard, and A still surpasses it. So '弟弟比哥哥还高' implies the brother is already tall, AND the younger one is taller.
Examples
今天比昨天还热。
Jīntiān bǐ zuótiān hái rè.
Today is even hotter than yesterday.
他跑得比我还快。
Tā pǎo de bǐ wǒ hái kuài.
He runs even faster than me.
这个孩子比大人还懂事。
Zhège háizi bǐ dàrén hái dǒngshì.
This child is even more thoughtful than the adults.
Common Mistake
Learners use 比...更... and 比...还... interchangeably, but they differ in tone. 更 is neutral ('even more'). 还 adds an 'and yet, surprisingly' nuance — it presupposes B is already extreme. Use 还 when you want the 'wow' effect.
蚂蚁比大象还大。
他比哥哥还高。
Don't Confuse With
比...更...
Neutral 'even more.' 还 carries surprise or emphasis; 更 just states the comparison. '他比我更聪明' is a flat statement; '他比我还聪明' adds 'and I'm already smart.'
没有...那么...
The opposite — 'not as X as Y.' Use it when you want to deny a comparison: '他没有我那么高.' 比...还... is for amplifying the comparison.
A 跟 B 一样 + ADJ
'A is as ADJ as B' — equality, not surpassing. Use 一样 when two things match, 比...还... when one outdoes the other beyond expectation.
Practice
她 ___ 我还高。
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比
今天比昨天 ___ 冷。
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还
Put in order: [还 / 比 / 哥哥 / 高 / 弟弟]
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弟弟比哥哥还高。
Translate to Chinese: 'This book is even more interesting than the movie.'
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这本书比电影还有意思。
Write one sentence using 比...还... to surprise the reader with a comparison.
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Example answer: 这只小狗比我还能吃。 (This puppy can eat even more than I can.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: