Difference between revisions of "Expressing "multiples" with "bei""

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某数的几倍就是用某数乘几。如"2的5倍是10",也可以说"10是2的5倍"。这个页面会介绍更多关于"倍数"的用法。
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The word 倍 (bèi) is used to express the idea of multiples, as in "3 ''times'' as many" or "5 ''times'' more." Its usage can be a little tricky (different from English), so pay close attention to the pattern below.
  
== Comparing for Quantity ==
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== Directly Expressing Multiples ==
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For this pattern, we're stating ''how many times more'' amount A is compared to amount B. Pretty straightforward.
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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A + 是 + B + 的 + Number + 倍
 
A + 是 + B + 的 + Number + 倍
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
A的数量包含基数。
 
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*中国 人口 差不多 是 美国 人口 四 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó rénkǒu chàbuduō shì Měiguó rénkǒu de sì <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">China's population is about four times the size of America's population.</span>
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*他 现在 工资 <strong>是</strong> 两 年 前 的 <em>倍</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā xiànzài de gōngzī <strong>shì</strong> liǎng nián qián de <em>bèi</em>.</span> <span class="trans">His current salary is four times what it was two years ago.</span>
*我们 部门 的 收入 你们 的 十 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen bùmén de shōurù shì nǐmen de shí <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">Our department's salaries are 10 times yours.</span>
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*公司 现在 的 规模 <strong></strong> 十 年 前 的 五 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Gōngsī xiànzài de guīmó <strong>shì</strong> shí nián qián de wǔ <em> bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">The company's current scope is five times what it was 10 years ago.</span>
*他 现在 的 工资 是 两 年 前 的 <em>倍</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā xiànzài de gōngzī shì liǎng nián qián de sān <em>bèi</em>.</span> <span class="trans">His current salary is three times what it was two years ago.</span>
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*今年 的 产量 <strong></strong> 去年 的 两 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Jīnnián de chǎnliàng <strong>shì</strong> qùnián de liǎng <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">This year's output is twice as much as last year's.</span>
*公司 现在 的 规模 是 十 年 前 的 五 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Gōngsī xiànzài de guīmó shì shí nián qián de wǔ <em> bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">The company's current scope is five times what it was 10 years ago.</span>
 
*今年 的 产量 是 去年 的 两 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Jīnnián de chǎnliàng shì qùnián de liǎng <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">This years output is two times last years.</span>
 
 
 
下面这个句型不包括基数,A的数量是B的(N+1)倍。
 
  
<div class="jiegou">
 
A + 比 + B + 多/增加 + 了 + Number + 倍
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Examples:
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== Expressing "More" with Multiples ==
  
<div class="liju">
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This pattern involves an adjective, one of the most common being 多 ("many"). You'll see other adjectives related to quantity appearing in this pattern as well, such as 大 ("big"), 贵 ("expensive"), 高 ("tall"), 长 ("long"), etc. In Chinese, it is not common to use the "negative opposite" adjectives in these kinds of comparisons, so you won't normally see the words for "small," "cheap," "short," etc. appearing in this pattern.
*他 现在 的 工资 <em>比</em> 两 年 前 多 了 三 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā xiànzài de gōngzī <em>bǐ</em> liǎng nián qián duō le sān <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">His salary is three times higher now than it was two years ago.</span>
 
*今年 的 产量 <em>比</em> 去年 增加 了 两 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Jīnnián de chǎnliàng <em>bǐ</em> qùnián zēngjiā le liǎng <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">This year's production is two times more than last year's.</span>
 
</div>
 
 
 
"增加了一倍"口语也可以说"翻了一倍""翻了两倍"意思是"增加了四倍"
 
 
 
</div>
 
 
 
== Comparing for Degree ==
 
 
 
这类形容词非常有限。不包括基数。常见的如:大、贵、高、长。其次是:宽、厚、重等表示度量衡的。
 
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
A + 比 + B + Adj. + Number 倍
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A + 比 + B + Adj. + Number +
 
</div>
 
</div>
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One very important linguistic difference between English and Chinese to note here is that in Chinese, you're typically talking about how many multiples ''in addition'' to the original amount. So 多一倍 is "x + 1x," in other words "double" the original amount. Naturally, 多两倍 would be ''triple'' the original amount (x + 2x). This little detail is sometimes confusing even for native speakers, so if you're talking about multiples and 多 is involved, be sure to use actual numbers to confirm both sides are on the same page!
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
*我 家 客厅 <em>比</em> 你 家 客厅 大 一 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā kètīng <em>bǐ</em> nǐ jiā kètīng dà yī <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">My house's kitchen is double the size of your house's kitchen.</span>
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*我 家 客厅 <strong>比</strong> 你 家 客厅 <strong></strong> 一 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā kètīng <em>bǐ</em> nǐ jiā kètīng <strong></strong> yī <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">My home's living room is double the size of your home's living room.</span>
*<em></em> 你 的 车 贵 五 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">de chē <em></em> de chē guì wǔ <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">His car is five times more expensive than your car.</span>
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*这个 15 岁 的 男孩 <strong>比</strong> 一般 孩子 <strong>重</strong> 一 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège shíwǔ suì de nánhái <strong>bǐ</strong> yībān de háizi <strong>zhòng</strong> yī <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">This fifteen-year-old kid weighs double what a normal kid at his age should weigh.</span>
*这 家 店 的 价格<em>比</em> 那 家 店 的 价格 高 两 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiā diàn de jiàgé <em>bǐ</em> nà jiā diàn de jiàgé gāo liǎng <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">This store's prices are two times higher than that store's prices.</span>
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*你 的 速度 <strong>比</strong> 我们 <strong>快</strong> 两 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">de sùdù <strong>bǐ</strong> wǒmen <strong>kuài</strong> liǎng <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">Your speed is three times as fast as our speed.</span>
*这 条 河 差不多 那 条 河 长 三 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè tiáo hé chàbuduō <em>bǐ</em> nà tiáo hé cháng sān <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">This river is about three times longer than that river.</span>
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*他 现在 的 工资 <strong>比</strong> 两 年 前 <strong>多</strong> 了 三 <em></em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā xiànzài de gōngzī <strong>bǐ</strong> liǎng nián qián <strong>duō</strong> le sān <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">His salary is four times higher now than what it was two years ago.</span>
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*中国 人口 <strong>比</strong> 美国 人口 <strong>多</strong> <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó rénkǒu <strong>bǐ</strong> Měiguó rénkǒu <strong>duō</strong> <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">China's population is five times as large as the USA's.</span>
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*他 的 车 <strong></strong> 你 的 车 <strong>贵</strong> 十 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Tā de chē <strong>bǐ</strong> nǐ de chē <strong>guì</strong> shí <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">His car is 11 times more expensive than your car.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== See aslo ==
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== See also ==
  
== Source and further reading ==
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== Sources and further reading ==
  
 
=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 4上|69}}
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|倍|B1|A + 是 + B + 的 + Number + 倍|中国 人口 差不多 美国 人口 <em>倍</em> 。|grammar point|ASG7D4EC}}
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{{HSK|HSK4}}
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{{Basic Grammar|倍|B1|Noun 1 + 是 + Noun 2 + 的 + Number + 倍|他 现在 的 工资 <strong></strong> 两 年 前 <em>倍</em> 。|grammar point|ASG7D4EC}}
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{{Rel char|比}}
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{{Rel char|多}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing quantity}}
 
{{Used for|Expressing quantity}}
 
{{Used for|Comparing}}
 
{{Used for|Comparing}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing fractions with "fenzhi"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing fractions with "fenzhi"}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
 
{{Structure|Sentence Patterns}}
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{{Subprop|Basic/Simple Sentence Patterns}}
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{{Translation|times}}

Latest revision as of 04:48, 9 March 2019

The word 倍 (bèi) is used to express the idea of multiples, as in "3 times as many" or "5 times more." Its usage can be a little tricky (different from English), so pay close attention to the pattern below.

Directly Expressing Multiples

For this pattern, we're stating how many times more amount A is compared to amount B. Pretty straightforward.

Structure

A + 是 + B + 的 + Number + 倍

Examples

  • 他 现在 的 工资 两 年 前 的 四 Tā xiànzài de gōngzī shì liǎng nián qián de sì bèi. His current salary is four times what it was two years ago.
  • 公司 现在 的 规模 十 年 前 的 五 Gōngsī xiànzài de guīmó shì shí nián qián de wǔ bèi.The company's current scope is five times what it was 10 years ago.
  • 今年 的 产量 去年 的 两 Jīnnián de chǎnliàng shì qùnián de liǎng bèi.This year's output is twice as much as last year's.

Expressing "More" with Multiples

This pattern involves an adjective, one of the most common being 多 ("many"). You'll see other adjectives related to quantity appearing in this pattern as well, such as 大 ("big"), 贵 ("expensive"), 高 ("tall"), 长 ("long"), etc. In Chinese, it is not common to use the "negative opposite" adjectives in these kinds of comparisons, so you won't normally see the words for "small," "cheap," "short," etc. appearing in this pattern.

Structure

A + 比 + B + Adj. + Number + 倍

One very important linguistic difference between English and Chinese to note here is that in Chinese, you're typically talking about how many multiples in addition to the original amount. So 多一倍 is "x + 1x," in other words "double" the original amount. Naturally, 多两倍 would be triple the original amount (x + 2x). This little detail is sometimes confusing even for native speakers, so if you're talking about multiples and 多 is involved, be sure to use actual numbers to confirm both sides are on the same page!

Examples

  • 我 家 客厅 你 家 客厅 Wǒ jiā kètīng nǐ jiā kètīng bèi.My home's living room is double the size of your home's living room.
  • 这个 15 岁 的 男孩 一般 的 孩子 Zhège shíwǔ suì de nánhái yībān de háizi zhòngbèi.This fifteen-year-old kid weighs double what a normal kid at his age should weigh.
  • 你 的 速度 我们 Nǐ de sùdù wǒmen kuài liǎng bèi.Your speed is three times as fast as our speed.
  • 他 现在 的 工资 两 年 前 了 三 Tā xiànzài de gōngzī liǎng nián qián duō le sān bèi.His salary is four times higher now than what it was two years ago.
  • 中国 人口 美国 人口 Zhōngguó rénkǒu Měiguó rénkǒu duōbèi.China's population is five times as large as the USA's.
  • 他 的 车 你 的 车 Tā de chē nǐ de chē guì shí bèi.His car is 11 times more expensive than your car.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books