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

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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
The word 倍 (bèi) is used to express the idea of multiples, as in "3 ''times'' as many" or "5 ''times'' as much." Its usage can be a little tricky (different from English), so pay close attention to the pattern below.
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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.
  
 
== Directly Expressing Multiples ==
 
== 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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*他 现在 的 工资 <strong>是</strong> 两 年 前 的 四 <em>倍</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā xiànzài de gōngzī <strong>shì</strong> liǎng nián qián de sì <em>bèi</em>.</span> <span class="trans">His current salary is four times what it was two years ago.</span>
 
*他 现在 的 工资 <strong>是</strong> 两 年 前 的 四 <em>倍</em> 。 <span class="pinyin">Tā xiànzài de gōngzī <strong>shì</strong> liǎng nián qián de sì <em>bèi</em>.</span> <span class="trans">His current salary is four times what it was two years ago.</span>
 
*公司 现在 的 规模 <strong>是</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>
 
*公司 现在 的 规模 <strong>是</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>
*今年 的 产量 <strong>是</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 big as last year.</span>
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*今年 的 产量 <strong>是</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>
  
 
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== Expressing "More" with Multiples ==
 
== Expressing "More" with Multiples ==
  
This pattern involves an adjective, one of the most common being 多. 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.  
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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.
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 ===
 
=== Structure ===
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The important thing to remember for this pattern is that in English, our comparisons usually involve a direct multiple, whereas in Chinese it's usually a multiple ''in addition''. So while in English we say, "I ate three times as much as you" (3x), in Chinese you say, "I ate as much as you did, plus another 2 times as much" (x + 2x). Pay attention to the examples below and their English translations.
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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">
  
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*我 家 客厅 <strong>比</strong> 你 家 客厅 <strong>大</strong> 一 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā kètīng <em>bǐ</em> nǐ jiā kètīng <strong>dà</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>
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*这个 15 岁 的 男孩 <strong>比</strong> 一般 的 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>
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*你 的 速度 <strong>比</strong> 我们 <strong>快</strong> 两 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ 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>
 
*他 现在 的 工资 <strong>比</strong> 两 年 前 <strong>多</strong> 了 三 <em>倍</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>
 
*他 现在 的 工资 <strong>比</strong> 两 年 前 <strong>多</strong> 了 三 <em>倍</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>
*中国 人口 <strong>比</strong> 美国 人口 <strong>多</strong> 四 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó rénkǒu <strong>bǐ</strong> Měiguó rénkǒu <strong>duō</strong> sì <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">China's population is four times bigger than America's.</span>
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*中国 人口 <strong>比</strong> 美国 人口 <strong>多</strong> 四 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōngguó rénkǒu <strong>bǐ</strong> Měiguó rénkǒu <strong>duō</strong> sì <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">China's population is five times as large as the USA's.</span>
*他 的 车 <strong>比</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 ten times more expensive than your car.</span>
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*他 的 车 <strong>比</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>
*这个 15 岁 的 男孩 <strong>比</strong> 一般 的 孩子 <strong>重</strong> 一 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhège 15 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>
 
  
 
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</div>
 
== One Confusing "More" Exception ==
 
 
Consider the following examples.
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
 
*我 家 客厅 <strong>比</strong> 你 家 客厅 <strong>大</strong> 一 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ jiā kètīng <em>bǐ</em> nǐ jiā kètīng <strong>dà</strong> yī <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">My house's living room is double the size of your house's living room.</span>
 
*你 的 速度 <strong>比</strong> 我们 <strong>快</strong> 两 <em>倍</em> 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ de sùdù <strong>bǐ</strong> wǒmen <strong>kuài</strong> liǎng <em>bèi</em>.</span><span class="trans">Your speed is twice as fast as our speed.</span>
 
 
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One is 多一倍, while the other is 多两倍. Logically speaking, the first should be ''double'' (x + 1x), while the second should be ''triple'' (x + 2x). In normal spoken Chinese, however, ''both could be understood to mean "double."'' So if you ever hear "多两倍," make sure you're clear on whether it's a 2x or a 3x increase.
 
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 4上|69}}
  
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
 
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{{HSK|HSK4}}
{{Basic Grammar|倍|B1|A + 是 + B + 的 + Number + 倍|他 现在 的 工资 <strong>是</strong> 两 年 前 的 三 <em>倍</em> 。|grammar point|ASG7D4EC}}
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{{Basic Grammar|倍|B1|Noun 1 + 是 + Noun 2 + 的 + Number + 倍|他 现在 的 工资 <strong>是</strong> 两 年 前 的 三 <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