比如说...
Reach for this when you've just made a general claim and want to ground it with a concrete example — 'for instance,' 'say, for example.' 比如说 has a conversational, slightly explanatory feel; the 说 softens it into spoken register. Use it in casual speech, classroom explanations, podcasts, and informal writing when you're about to illustrate a point. It signals 'let me give you a case' rather than the cleaner 'for example' of writing. Pairs naturally with the listener nodding along.
Structure
Statement, 比如说 + Example(s).
bǐ rú shuō
How to Think About It
Think of 比如说 as 'like, say...' — the spoken cousin of the more formal 比如. The 说 ('say') adds a verbal beat, the way an English speaker might say 'take, for instance' instead of just 'for instance.' It's how you stall for a half-second while picking your example, and how you signal to the listener that what follows is illustrative, not exhaustive.
Examples
我喜欢中国菜，比如说饺子和包子。
Wǒ xǐhuān Zhōngguó cài, bǐrú shuō jiǎozi hé bāozi.
I love Chinese food — for example, dumplings and baozi.
周末我喜欢去公园，比如说看书或者散步。
Zhōumò wǒ xǐhuān qù gōngyuán, bǐrú shuō kàn shū huòzhě sànbù.
On weekends I like going to the park — say, to read or take a walk.
他会说很多语言，比如说英语、法语和日语。
Tā huì shuō hěn duō yǔyán, bǐrú shuō Yīngyǔ, Fǎyǔ hé Rìyǔ.
He speaks a lot of languages — for instance, English, French, and Japanese.
我喜欢水果, 比如说苹果和香蕉。
Wǒ xǐhuan shuǐguǒ, bǐrú shuō píngguǒ hé xiāngjiāo.
I like fruits, for example apples and bananas.
比如说, 你可以坐地铁去。
Bǐrú shuō, nǐ kěyǐ zuò dìtiě qù.
For example, you can take the subway.
很多事情都变了, 比如说我们说话的方式。
Hěnduō shìqing dōu biàn le, bǐrú shuō wǒmen shuōhuà de fāngshì.
Many things have changed, for instance the way we talk.
我喜欢户外运动，比如说爬山、骑车。
Wǒ xǐhuan hùwài yùndòng, bǐ rú shuō pá shān、qí chē.
I like outdoor sports, such as hiking and cycling.
学语言要多练习，比如说每天听听新闻。
Common Mistake
Learners stick 比如说 at the end of a sentence the way English allows 'for example' to trail. In Chinese it leads — it sits BEFORE the example, never after.
我喜欢运动，跑步比如说。
我喜欢运动，比如说跑步。
Don't Confuse With
比如
Cleaner, more written. 比如 fits essays and reports; 比如说 leans spoken and explanatory. Same job, different register.
例如
Formal written equivalent — appears in textbooks, papers, business reports. Avoid in casual chat.
像
'Like' for comparison ('A is like B'). Not for introducing an example. Don't swap them.
比如
Drop 说 for a slightly more formal, written feel. Same meaning. 比如 fits essays and reports; 比如说 fits speech.
例如
More formal still — sounds like 'for example' in a textbook or legal document. Avoid in casual conversation.
Practice
Fill in: 我喜欢水果，____ 苹果和香蕉。
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比如说
Arrange: 比如说 / 我 / 中国菜 / 喜欢 / 饺子
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我喜欢中国菜，比如说饺子。
Translate to Chinese: I like sports, for example basketball.
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我喜欢运动，比如说篮球。
Use 比如说 to give an example of something you enjoy.
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我喜欢看电影，比如说中国电影。
我有很多爱好, ____ 说看电影、跑步。
Show answer
比如
比如 ____ , 北京有很多好吃的。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 4 Fluentide episodes:
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear 比如说... in real Chinese, not in a textbook.
Fluentide picks the next news episode at your level, so this pattern shows up again and again in real context. The transcript marks it, the audio drills it. Free to start, no card.