A 比 B + Adjective
This is the core comparison sentence in Chinese: 'A is more [adjective] than B.' Drop the two things you're comparing on either side of 比, put the adjective at the end, and you're done — no 'than,' no copula, no 'more.' 比 carries all the comparative weight by itself. You'll use this everywhere, from prices to speeds to weather, from your second week of Chinese to your last.
Structure
[A] 比 [B] [ADJECTIVE]
[A] bǐ [B] [ADJ]
How to Think About It
比 is the comparison itself, not 'than.' It already contains the idea 'more.' That's why you never say 比……更 or 比……很 in basic comparisons — the adjective stands bare. To add a specific amount, you attach it after the adjective (高一点, 贵很多, 大三岁), never before it.
Examples
他比我高。
Tā bǐ wǒ gāo.
He is taller than me.
今天比昨天冷一点。
Jīntiān bǐ zuótiān lěng yìdiǎn.
Today is a little colder than yesterday.
这本书比那本书贵很多。
Zhè běn shū bǐ nà běn shū guì hěn duō.
This book is much more expensive than that one.
她比以前快了九秒。
Tā bǐ yǐqián kuài le jiǔ miǎo.
She's nine seconds faster than before.
这件衣服比那件贵一百块。
Zhè jiàn yīfu bǐ nà jiàn guì yìbǎi kuài.
This piece of clothing is a hundred kuai more expensive than that one.
今年的学生比去年多了一倍。
Jīnnián de xuésheng bǐ qùnián duō le yí bèi.
There are twice as many students this year as last year.
今天比昨天热。
Jīntiān bǐ zuótiān rè.
Today is hotter than yesterday.
他比我大三岁。
Tā bǐ wǒ dà sān suì.
He's three years older than me.
这个苹果比那个甜得多。
Common Mistake
Learners stick 很 or 更 in front of the adjective, copying English 'more.' In a 比 sentence, the adjective takes no degree adverb in front — the comparison is already there. Quantities like 一点 or 很多 go after.
今天比昨天很冷。
今天比昨天冷。
Don't Confuse With
A 没有 B (这么/那么) [ADJ]
Use this when A falls short of B, not exceeds it — the negative comparison.
A 跟 B 一样 [ADJ]
Use this when A and B are equal on the trait, not when one beats the other.
A 比 B 更 [ADJ]
Add 更 only when B is already known to be high on the trait and you want 'even more so'; in plain comparison, drop 更.
A 比 B 还 [ADJ]
Use 还 when B is already high on the trait and A surprises you by going further. The plain 比 comparison doesn't carry that surprise.
A 比 B 更 [ADJ]
Use 更 when both A and B are high on the trait and you want 'even more so.' For neutral side-by-side comparison, drop 更.
Practice
Fill in the blank: 我哥哥 ___ 我大三岁。
Show answer
比
Fill in the blank: 北京比上海 ___ （cold）。
Show answer
冷
Arrange: 妹妹 / 比 / 高 / 我
Show answer
妹妹比我高。
Translate into Chinese: His car is cheaper than mine.
Show answer
他的车比我的车便宜。
Write one sentence comparing two cities using 比.
Show answer
上海比南京大很多。
Fill in the blank: 我比他高 ___ 厘米。 (five centimeters)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 20 Fluentide episodes:
萨维比基普图姆还快。
它比很多东西都贵。
他比那个老板还要坏。
Related Grammar Patterns
Acquire by listening
Hear A 比 B + Adjective 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.