比较
relatively; comparatively; to compare
HSK level
- Pinyin
- bǐjiào
- Part of speech
- adverb
- Level
- HSK 3
- Strokes
- 14
- Register
- neutral
Stroke order for 比较
比较 is written with 14 strokes (比: 4, 较: 10). The animation replays automatically.
What does 比较 mean?
比较 (bǐjiào) is one of the most useful HSK 3 words because it works in two ways.
As an adverb it means 'relatively / comparatively / rather' and softens adjectives — 比较忙 (relatively busy), 比较贵 (kind of expensive). It implicitly compares the thing to a norm or to alternatives, so it is gentler than the absolute 很 (very).
As a verb it means 'to compare,' as in 比较两个城市 (compare two cities) or 把 A 和 B 比较 (compare A with B). Two differences from English: first, the adverbial 比较 does NOT need an explicit standard — Chinese speakers leave the comparison implicit, while English usually needs 'more X than Y'; second, 比较 cannot be combined with 不 to negate the adjective directly (you say 不太忙, not 比较不忙).
Note: Works in both spoken and written Chinese. In casual speech, learners often overuse 比较 where natives might just say 很 or 挺 — but 比较 is never wrong.
Character by character
Memory hook: Both characters mean 'compare' — doubled up for emphasis, like the English 'comparatively speaking.'
Example sentences
今天比较冷，多穿点儿。
Jīntiān bǐjiào lěng, duō chuān diǎnr.
It's pretty cold today — wear a bit more.
spoken
我比较喜欢喝茶。
Wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuan hē chá.
I prefer drinking tea.
neutral
我们比较一下这两个手机。
Wǒmen bǐjiào yíxià zhè liǎng ge shǒujī.
Let's compare these two phones.
neutral
他的中文比较好。
Tā de Zhōngwén bǐjiào hǎo.
His Chinese is relatively good.
neutral
Common phrases with 比较
Synonyms
挺 means 'quite / pretty' and is more colloquial than 比较. 挺好 sounds chatty and warm; 比较好 sounds neutral and slightly evaluative. Use 挺 with friends, 比较 in any setting.
相对 ('relatively') is more formal and written. 相对便宜 reads like a report; 比较便宜 is what people actually say in conversation.
对比 means 'to contrast / contrast' and emphasizes the difference, while 比较 just lines two things up. 对比强烈 (strong contrast) vs 比较两个方案 (compare two plans).
Don't confuse 比较 with
FAQ
Acquire it by listening
Meet 比较 again — in real Chinese, at your level.
Fluentide turns real news into Chinese listening at your exact level, so words like 比较 show up again and again in natural sentences — with pinyin and translation every time. No flashcards. Free to start.