比如……
Reach for 比如 when you want to give an example — 'for instance,' 'like,' 'such as.' Drop it before the example to flag that what follows is illustrative, not exhaustive. Used constantly in everyday speech to clarify a general claim: many countries (like Japan, Korea), lots of fruits (like apples and oranges), big cities (like Beijing and Shanghai). The most common 'for example' word in spoken Chinese.
Structure
[GENERAL_CLAIM], 比如 [EXAMPLE]
bǐrú...
How to Think About It
比如 introduces examples, not a complete list. The listener should hear 比如 X and understand that X is just one of several possibilities. If you want to say 'for example' more formally, use 例如 (在文章里) or add 等等 ('etc.') at the end of your example: 比如苹果, 香蕉等等. Saying just 比如苹果 leaves the door open for more.
Examples
中国有很多大城市, 比如北京和上海。
Zhōngguó yǒu hěn duō dà chéngshì, bǐrú Běijīng hé Shànghǎi.
China has many big cities, for example Beijing and Shanghai.
我喜欢吃水果, 比如苹果、香蕉。
Wǒ xǐhuan chī shuǐguǒ, bǐrú píngguǒ, xiāngjiāo.
I like to eat fruit, like apples and bananas.
他会很多种语言, 比如英语、法语、日语。
Tā huì hěn duō zhǒng yǔyán, bǐrú Yīngyǔ, Fǎyǔ, Rìyǔ.
He speaks many languages, for example English, French, and Japanese.
Common Mistake
Learners use 比如 as a sentence starter even when the previous sentence didn't set up a general category, leaving the example floating. 比如 should always follow a general claim that the example is illustrating.
比如北京很大。
中国有很多大城市, 比如北京。
Don't Confuse With
例如
Same meaning, more formal. Use 例如 in essays and reports; 比如 in conversation.
像...一样
像 introduces a comparison ('like X, similarly'). 比如 introduces an example out of a category.
比方说
More conversational ('say, for instance'). Interchangeable with 比如 in speech.
Practice
中国有很多大城市, ____北京。
Show answer
比如
我喜欢吃____, 比如苹果、香蕉。
Show answer
水果
Arrange: 法语 / 比如 / 他 / 英语 / 很多种语言 / 会
Show answer
他会很多种语言, 比如英语、法语。
I like many Chinese cities, for example Shanghai.
Show answer
我喜欢很多中国的城市, 比如上海。
Write a sentence using 比如 to give an example of a category you like.
Show answer
我喜欢中国菜, 比如饺子和宫保鸡丁。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: