Difference between revisions of "Comparisons with "buru""
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不如 means "not as good as", and can be used to make comparisons in a similar way as the [[Basic comparisons with "bi"|比]] structure.
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{{Grammar Box}}
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不如 (bùrú) can be used to make comparisons in a similar way as the [[Basic comparisons with "bi"|比]] structure. In its simplest form 不如 is used to convey that A is “not as good as” B. Unlike the 比 structure, when used in this way, the adjective or verb can be omitted.
  
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If you want to say "A is not as adjective as B", the following structure can be used:
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== Simple Pattern ==
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=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
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A + 不如 + B + (adjective/verb)
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A + 不如 + B  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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Here are some examples:
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=== Examples ===
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<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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* 我 <em>不如</em> 姚明 高。
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*我 哥 的 成绩 <em>不如</em> 我的 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ gē de chéngjì <em>bùrú</em> wǒ de.</span><span class="trans">My older brother's grades are not as good as mine.</span>
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* 城市 的 生活 环境 <em>不如</em> 乡下 舒服。
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*看 电影 <em>不如</em> 看 原著 。<span class="pinyin">Kàn diànyǐng <em>bùrú</em> kàn yuánzhù.</span><span class="trans">Watching a movie isn't as good as reading the book.</span>
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* 他 <em>不如</em> 我 会 撒谎。
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*他 总是 觉得 自己 <em>不如</em> 别人 。<span class="pinyin">Tā zǒngshì juéde zìjǐ <em>bùrú</em> biérén.</span><span class="trans">He always thinks he's not as good as other people.</span>
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* 这个 语法点 <em>不如</em> 前面的 解释 得 清楚。
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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Unlike the 比 structure, the adjective or verb in this structure can be omitted, denoting that A does not live up to, or is unequal to B.  
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== Advanced Patterns ==
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When an adjective or verb is added to the structure it can then be used to mean A is not as "adjective" as B, or A does not "verb" as well as B:
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=== Structure ===
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 +
<div class="jiegou">
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A + 不如 + B + Adj.
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</div>
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<div class="jiegou">
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A + Verb + 得 + 不如 + B + Adj.
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</div>
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<div class="jiegou">
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A + Verb-Obj. + 不如 + B+ (Verb + 得) + Adj.  
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</div>
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=== Examples ===
  
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For example:
 
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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* 我 感觉看 电影 <em>不如</em> 看 电视剧。
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* 浙江 人 特别 会 做 生意，连 广东 人 都<em>不如</em>他们！
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*这 件 裙子 <em>不如</em> 那 件 好看 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn qúnzi <em>bùrú</em> nà jiàn hǎokàn.</span><span class="trans">This dress doesn't look as good as that one.</span>
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*那个 说法 <em>不如</em> 这个 说法 实用 。<span class="pinyin">Nàge shuōfǎ <em>bùrú</em> zhège shuōfǎ shíyòng.</span><span class="trans">This saying isn't as practical as that one.</span>
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*他 穿 得 <em>不如</em> 你 好看 。<span class="pinyin">Tā chuān de <em>bùrú</em> nǐ hǎokàn.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't dress as well as you do.</span>
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*我 担心 我 解释 得 <em>不如</em> 你 清楚 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ dānxīn wǒ jiěshì de <em>bùrú</em> nǐ qīngchǔ.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid that I can't explain it as clearly as you.</span>
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*他 说 中文 <em>不如</em> 他 老婆 说 得 地道 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shuō Zhōngwén <em>bùrú</em> tā lǎopo shuō de dìdao.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't speak Chinese as authentically as his wife does.</span>
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*我 打字 <em>不如</em> 你 打 得 快 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ dǎ zì <em>bùrú</em> nǐ dǎ de kuài.</span><span class="trans">I don't type as fast as you do.</span>
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</div>
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== 不如 as an Adverb ==
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When facing a choice, 不如 can also be used to mean "might as well" to emphasize that the choice that comes after 不如 is better than what was just being discussed. When used like this, it is similar in meaning to 不妨 (bùfáng).
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=== Structure ===
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<div class="jiegou">
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(与其 …… ，) 不如 ……
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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When facing a choice, 不如 can also be used to mean "might as well" to emphasize the choice is the better of two options. When used like this, it is similar in meaning to 不妨.
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不如 often occurs in the [[与其]]……不如…… (yǔqí... bùrú...) structure, meaning "rather than... might as well...." See [[Expressing "rather than..." with "yuqi... buru"|the grammar point on 与其]] for other similar patterns.
  
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For example:
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=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
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* 既然 已经 做 到 了 一半 了，你 <em>不如</em> 坚持 下去。
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* 与其 空想，<em>不如</em> 马上 行动，做 出 点儿 成绩。
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*在 家 看 电视 多 无聊 ！<em>不如</em> 去 KTV 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Zài jiā kàn diànshì duō wúliáo! <em>Bùrú</em> qù KTV ba.</span><span class="trans">Watching TV at home is so boring! It'd be more fun to go do karaoke.</span>
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*我们 在 这里 等 也 是 浪费 时间 ，<em>不如</em> 先 去 吃 个 饭 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zài zhèlǐ děng yě shì làngfèi shíjiān, <em>bùrú</em> xiān qù chī gè fàn ba.</span><span class="trans">It's a waste of time for us to wait here. We might as well go out and eat something first.</span>
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*<em>与其</em> 空想，<em>不如</em> 马上 行动 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yǔqí</em> kōngxiǎng, <em>bùrú</em> mǎshàng xíngdòng.</span><span class="trans">Rather than fantasizing about it, you might as well take action right away.</span>
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*<em>与其</em> 天天 吵架 ，<em>不如</em> 分手 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yǔqí</em> tiāntiān chǎojià, <em>bùrú</em> fēnshǒu.</span><span class="trans">Rather than fighting every day, you might as well break up.</span>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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As in the last example sentence, 不如 often occurs in the 与其...不如 structure, meaning "rather than X... might as well Y".
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==See also==
  
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==See also==
 
 
* [[Basic comparisons with "bu bi"]]
 
* [[Basic comparisons with "bu bi"]]
 
* [[Basic comparisons with "meiyou"]]
 
* [[Basic comparisons with "meiyou"]]
 
* [[Comparing Specifically with "xiang"]]
 
* [[Comparing Specifically with "xiang"]]
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* [[Comparing]]
  
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== Sources and further reading ==
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== Sources and further reading ==
  
 
===  Books ===
 
===  Books ===
  
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* [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7301075308/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7301075308 Boya Chinese: Pre-intermediate Speed Up I] pp.38-39
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{{Source|A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法) |543-7}}
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* [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00326U9MS/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B00326U9MS Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)] pp.80-81
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{{Source|Boya Chinese Lower Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语准中级加速篇)|38-9}}
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* [http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&tag=allset-23&linkCode=as2&asin=B001J0ADWA&camp=536&creative=3132&creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA 外国人实用汉语语法(中英文对照)] (A Practical Chinese Grammar for Foreigners) pp.543-547
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1|89}}
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{{Source|Short-term Spoken Chinese: Elementary (汉语口语速成基础篇)|80-1}}
  
 
[[Category: B2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category: B2 grammar points]]
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{{Basic Grammar|不如|B2|不如⋯⋯|我的 汉语 <em>不如</em> 他的。|grammar point|ASGWH1D5}}
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{{Rel char|不}}
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{{Rel char|如}}
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{{Rel char|与其}}
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{{Similar|Expressing comparable degree with "you"}}
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{{Similar|Basic comparisons with "bu bi"}}
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{{Similar|Comparing Specifically with "xiang"}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "would rather" with "ningke"}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "rather than..." with "yuqi... buru"}}
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{{Used for|Denying and refusing}}
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{{Used for|Comparing}}
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{{Used for|Expressing preference}}
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{{POS|Verbs}}
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{{Subprop|Verbs}}
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{{Translation|less}}
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{{Translation|not}}

Latest revision as of 00:23, 18 January 2021

不如 (bùrú) can be used to make comparisons in a similar way as the 比 structure. In its simplest form 不如 is used to convey that A is “not as good as” B. Unlike the 比 structure, when used in this way, the adjective or verb can be omitted.

Simple Pattern

Structure

A + 不如 + B

Examples

  • 我 哥 的 成绩 不如 我的 。Wǒ gē de chéngjì bùrú wǒ de.My older brother's grades are not as good as mine.
  • 看 电影 不如 看 原著 。Kàn diànyǐng bùrú kàn yuánzhù.Watching a movie isn't as good as reading the book.
  • 他 总是 觉得 自己 不如 别人 。Tā zǒngshì juéde zìjǐ bùrú biérén.He always thinks he's not as good as other people.

Advanced Patterns

When an adjective or verb is added to the structure it can then be used to mean A is not as "adjective" as B, or A does not "verb" as well as B:

Structure

A + 不如 + B + Adj.

A + Verb + 得 + 不如 + B + Adj.

A + Verb-Obj. + 不如 + B+ (Verb + 得) + Adj.

Examples

  • 这 件 裙子 不如 那 件 好看 。Zhè jiàn qúnzi bùrú nà jiàn hǎokàn.This dress doesn't look as good as that one.
  • 那个 说法 不如 这个 说法 实用 。Nàge shuōfǎ bùrú zhège shuōfǎ shíyòng.This saying isn't as practical as that one.
  • 他 穿 得 不如 你 好看 。Tā chuān de bùrú nǐ hǎokàn.He doesn't dress as well as you do.
  • 我 担心 我 解释 得 不如 你 清楚 。Wǒ dānxīn wǒ jiěshì de bùrú nǐ qīngchǔ.I'm afraid that I can't explain it as clearly as you.
  • 他 说 中文 不如 他 老婆 说 得 地道 。Tā shuō Zhōngwén bùrú tā lǎopo shuō de dìdao.He doesn't speak Chinese as authentically as his wife does.
  • 我 打字 不如 你 打 得 快 。Wǒ dǎ zì bùrú nǐ dǎ de kuài.I don't type as fast as you do.

不如 as an Adverb

When facing a choice, 不如 can also be used to mean "might as well" to emphasize that the choice that comes after 不如 is better than what was just being discussed. When used like this, it is similar in meaning to 不妨 (bùfáng).

Structure

(与其 …… ，) 不如 ……

不如 often occurs in the 与其……不如…… (yǔqí... bùrú...) structure, meaning "rather than... might as well...." See the grammar point on 与其 for other similar patterns.

Examples

  • 在 家 看 电视 多 无聊 ！不如 去 KTV 吧 。Zài jiā kàn diànshì duō wúliáo! Bùrú qù KTV ba.Watching TV at home is so boring! It'd be more fun to go do karaoke.
  • 我们 在 这里 等 也 是 浪费 时间 ，不如 先 去 吃 个 饭 吧 。Wǒmen zài zhèlǐ děng yě shì làngfèi shíjiān, bùrú xiān qù chī gè fàn ba.It's a waste of time for us to wait here. We might as well go out and eat something first.
  • 与其 空想，不如 马上 行动 。Yǔqí kōngxiǎng, bùrú mǎshàng xíngdòng.Rather than fantasizing about it, you might as well take action right away.
  • 与其 天天 吵架 ，不如 分手 。Yǔqí tiāntiān chǎojià, bùrú fēnshǒu.Rather than fighting every day, you might as well break up.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK5


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