Expressing comparable degree with "you"

有 (yǒu), besides just meaning "to have," can also be used in comparisons. It's what you use instead of 比 (bǐ) if something is "as [Adj.] as" something else.

Using 有 in a Question

The structure is very straightforward. It literally means "A has B's [Adj.]." The meaning is "A is as [Adj.] as B." This pattern is often used in questions.

Structure

A + 有 + B + Adj. + 吗？

This form is often used with 那么, which in this case means "as much." And it indicates that B is already very [Adj.]. When B is absent, 那么 mean "so" or "that".

A + 有 +（+ B）那么 + Adj. + 吗？

Examples

• 他 有 我 帅 吗 ？Tā yǒu wǒ shuài ma?Is he as handsome as me?
• 泰国 有 日本 好玩 吗 ？Tàiguó yǒu Rìběn hǎowán ma?Is Thailand as fun as Japan?
• 你 去 过 的 地方 有 我 多 吗 ？Nǐ qù guo de dìfang yǒu wǒ duō ma?Have you been to as many places as I have?
• 你 的 工资 有 他 的 工资 那么 高 吗 ？Nǐ de gōngzī yǒu tā de gōngzī nàme gāo ma?Is your salary as high as his?
• 他 有 那么 厉害 吗 ？Tā yǒu nàme lìhai ma?Is he that difficult to deal with?

Using 有 in a Statement

Notice that all these example sentences are questions. This form can also be used in simple statements. Note that 描述人身高、体重或空间大小时，用数字加相应的计量单位，如"米、公斤、平方米"即可，不用加"高、重、大"。

Structure

Used in a question:

A + 有 + B + 多 + 高 / 深 / 宽 / 长 ？

Used in a statement:

A + 有 + B + Number（+ 那么）+ 高 / 深 / 宽 / 长

如果不确定具体的number，可以用参照物B来代替：

A + 有 + B + 高 / 深 / 宽 / 长

Examples

• 他 有 一 米 九 。Tā yǒu yī mǐ jiǔ.His height is 1.9 meter.

• 你 家 有 多少 平 ？How many square meters is your house?
• 我 家 有 一百 三十 平 。Wǒ jiā yǒu yī bǎi sānshí píng.My house is 130 square meters.

• 这 条 河 有 多 长 ？How long is this river?
• 这 条 河 有 五 百 多 公里（长）。This river is five hundred kilometers long.

• 他 有 多 高 ？How tall is he?
• 他 有 他 那么 爸爸 高 。Tā yǒu tā bàba nàme gāo.He is already as tall as his father.

• 这 个 门 有 多 宽 ？Zhège mén yǒu duō Kuān?How wide is the door?
• 这 个 门 只 有 我 的 肩膀 这么 宽 。Zhè gè mén zhī yǒu wǒ de jiānbǎng zhème kuān.This door is only my shoulder's wide.

• 他 有 多 重 ？How much does he weigh?
• 这个 孩子 才 十 岁，已经 有 一百 五十 斤 了 。Zhège háizi cái shí suì, yǐjīng yǒu yī bǎi wǔshí jīn le.This kid is only ten, but he's already 150 kilograms.

See also

• Basic comparisons with "meiyou"
• Basic comparisons with "bi"
• Basic comparisons with "bu bi"
• Comparisons with "buru"
• Basic comparisons with "yiyang"

Sources and further reading

Books

• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 33-4) →buy

• 现代汉语八百词 (p.631) →buy