Difference between revisions of "Basic comparisons with "bu bi""
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You might wonder why you have 不比 (bù bǐ) for negative comparisons when you already have [[Basic comparisons with "meiyou"|没有 (méiyǒu) for comparisons]]. The answer is that they're not exactly the same thing! 没有 should be your "go to word" for expressing "not as... as...," but there are cases where 不比 (in all of its subtle glory) is a better choice. | You might wonder why you have 不比 (bù bǐ) for negative comparisons when you already have [[Basic comparisons with "meiyou"|没有 (méiyǒu) for comparisons]]. The answer is that they're not exactly the same thing! 没有 should be your "go to word" for expressing "not as... as...," but there are cases where 不比 (in all of its subtle glory) is a better choice. | ||
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| + | == The Difference between 不比 and 没有 == | ||
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| + | 不比 and [[Basic comparisons with "meiyou"|没有]] are not exactly the same. 没有 means "not as... as," whereas 不比 is a direct negation of [[Basic comparisons with "bi"|比]], meaning "''not'' more... than." Compare the following two English sentences: | ||
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| + | * You're '''not as smart''' as me. (没有) | ||
| + | * You're '''not smarter''' than me. (不比) | ||
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| + | You'd probably be more upset to hear the former from a friend than the latter. The two above sentences in Chinese are: | ||
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| + | <div class="liju"> | ||
| + | *你 <em>没有</em> 我 聪明 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>méiyǒu</em> wǒ cōngmíng.</span><span class="expl">I am definitely smarter than you; we're not equal in smarts.</span> | ||
| + | *你 <em>不 比</em> 我 聪明 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bùbǐ</em> wǒ cōngmíng.</span><span class="expl">You're no smarter than I am, but we might be equal in smarts.</span> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
== Structure == | == Structure == | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *你 <em>不 比</em> 我 差。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bùbǐ</em> wǒ chà.</span><span class="trans">You're | + | *你 <em>不 比</em> 我 差。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bùbǐ</em> wǒ chà.</span><span class="trans">You're no worse than me.</span> |
| − | *你 <em>不 比</em> 别人 笨 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bùbǐ</em> biérén bèn.</span><span class="trans">You're | + | *你 <em>不 比</em> 别人 笨 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bùbǐ</em> biérén bèn.</span><span class="trans">You're not dumber than anyone else.</span> |
| − | *他 太太 的 工资 <em>不 比</em> 他 低 。<span class="pinyin">Tā tàitài de gōngzī <em>bùbǐ</em> tā dī.</span><span class="trans">His wife's salary is | + | *他 太太 的 工资 <em>不 比</em> 他 低 。<span class="pinyin">Tā tàitài de gōngzī <em>bùbǐ</em> tā dī.</span><span class="trans">His wife's salary is no lower than his is.</span> |
| − | *上海 <em>不 比</em> 纽约 便宜 。<span class="pinyin">Shànghǎi <em>bùbǐ</em> Niǔyuē piányí.</span><span class="trans"> | + | *上海 <em>不 比</em> 纽约 便宜 。<span class="pinyin">Shànghǎi <em>bùbǐ</em> Niǔyuē piányí.</span><span class="trans">Shanghai is no cheaper than New York .</span> |
| − | *有人 觉得 养宠物 <em>不 比</em> 养 小孩 容易 。<span class="pinyin">Yǒurén juéde yǎng chǒngwù <em>bùbǐ</em> yǎng xiǎohái róngyì.</span><span class="trans">Some people think that it's | + | *有人 觉得 养宠物 <em>不 比</em> 养 小孩 容易 。<span class="pinyin">Yǒurén juéde yǎng chǒngwù <em>bùbǐ</em> yǎng xiǎohái róngyì.</span><span class="trans">Some people think that it's no easier to raise a pet than to raise a child.</span> |
</div> | </div> | ||
| − | If it's about the degree of an action, use this pattern below: | + | If it's more about the ''degree'' of an action, use this pattern below: |
<div class="jiegou"> | <div class="jiegou"> | ||
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<div class="liju"> | <div class="liju"> | ||
| − | *你 <em>不 比</em> 歌手 唱 得 差 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bùbǐ</em> gēshǒu chàng de chà.</span><span class="trans">You sing | + | *你 <em>不 比</em> 歌手 唱 得 差 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>bùbǐ</em> gēshǒu chàng de chà.</span><span class="trans">You sing no worse than the singer does.</span> |
| − | *他 算 得 <em>不 比</em> 计算机 慢 。<span class="pinyin">Tā suàn de <em>bùbǐ</em> jìsuànjī màn.</span><span class="trans"> | + | *他 算 得 <em>不 比</em> 计算机 慢 。<span class="pinyin">Tā suàn de <em>bùbǐ</em> jìsuànjī màn.</span><span class="trans">He calculates no slower than the computer.</span> |
| − | *她 跳 得 <em>不 比</em> 明星 差 。<span class="pinyin">Tā tiào de <em>bùbǐ</em> míngxīng chà.</span><span class="trans">She | + | *她 跳 得 <em>不 比</em> 明星 差 。<span class="pinyin">Tā tiào de <em>bùbǐ</em> míngxīng chà.</span><span class="trans">She dances no worse than a star.</span> |
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Revision as of 08:03, 27 November 2020
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Level
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Used for
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Keywords
You might wonder why you have 不比 (bù bǐ) for negative comparisons when you already have 没有 (méiyǒu) for comparisons. The answer is that they're not exactly the same thing! 没有 should be your "go to word" for expressing "not as... as...," but there are cases where 不比 (in all of its subtle glory) is a better choice.
Contents
The Difference between 不比 and 没有
不比 and 没有 are not exactly the same. 没有 means "not as... as," whereas 不比 is a direct negation of 比, meaning "not more... than." Compare the following two English sentences:
- You're not as smart as me. (没有)
- You're not smarter than me. (不比)
You'd probably be more upset to hear the former from a friend than the latter. The two above sentences in Chinese are:
- 你 没有 我 聪明 。I am definitely smarter than you; we're not equal in smarts.
- 你 不 比 我 聪明 。You're no smarter than I am, but we might be equal in smarts.
Structure
To say that something is not more adjective as another, you can use 不比 (bù bǐ). No snickering, please. This is similar to, but not exactly the same as comparing with 没有.
Noun 1 + 不比 + Noun 2 + Adj.
Examples
- 你 不 比 我 差。You're no worse than me.
- 你 不 比 别人 笨 。You're not dumber than anyone else.
- 他 太太 的 工资 不 比 他 低 。His wife's salary is no lower than his is.
- 上海 不 比 纽约 便宜 。Shanghai is no cheaper than New York .
- 有人 觉得 养宠物 不 比 养 小孩 容易 。Some people think that it's no easier to raise a pet than to raise a child.
If it's more about the degree of an action, use this pattern below:
A + 不比 + B + Verb + 得 + Adj.
Note that "Verb + 得" can also placed before 不比.
- 你 不 比 歌手 唱 得 差 。You sing no worse than the singer does.
- 他 算 得 不 比 计算机 慢 。He calculates no slower than the computer.
- 她 跳 得 不 比 明星 差 。She dances no worse than a star.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
