Comparing specifically with "xiang"

像 (xiàng) is used to compare a specific characteristic of two things or people, and can be used in the following structure:

像 as "just like"

Structure

Noun 1 + 像 + Noun 2 + 一样 + Adj. / Verb

Examples

• 她 有时候 像 小孩 一样 天真 。Tā yǒushíhou xiàng xiǎohái yīyàng tiānzhēn.She's as naive as a young kid is sometimes.
• 这个 老外 的 汉语 像 中国人一样 地道 。Tā yǒu shíhòu xiàng xiǎohái yīyàng tiānzhēn.This foreigner can speak Chinese as well as native speakers do.
• 他 很 生气 ，像 疯子 一样 大 叫 起来 。Zhège lǎowài de Hànyǔ xiàng Zhōngguó rén yīyàng dìdào.He was very angry and started to scream like a lunatic.
• 你 怎么 像 我 妈 一样 啰嗦 ！Tā hěn shēngqì, xiàng fēngzi yīyàng dà jiào qǐlái.Why do you sound as nagging as my mom does!
• 我 像 你 一样 大 的时候，还 不 知道 手机 是 什么 。Wǒ xiàng nǐ yīyàng dà de shíhòu, hái bù zhīdào shǒujī shì shénme.When I was as old as you are, I didn't know what a mobile phone was.

不像 as "not as ... as"

Structure

Noun 1 + 不像 + Noun 2 + (⋯⋯ ) 这么 / 那么 + Adj. / Verb

Examples

• 高铁 不 像 飞机 那么 快。
• 上海 的 冬天 不 像 北京 那么 干 。Shànghǎi de dōngtiān bù xiàng Běijīng nàme gàn.The winter in Shanghai is not as dry as it is in Beijing.
• 这 个 男 老师 不 像 那 个 女 老师 那么 严格 。Zhè gè nán lǎoshī bù xiàng nàgè nǚ lǎoshī nàme yángé.This man teacher is not as strict as that woman teacher.
• 我 不像 我 父母 那么 喜欢 省钱 。Wǒ bù xiàng wǒ fùmǔ nàme xǐhuān shěng qián.My parents like saving money but I'm not like them.
• 中 西部 不像 东部 发展 得 那么 快 。Zhōng xībù bù xiàng dōngbù fāzhǎn dé nàme kuài.The middle and west part hasn't developed as rapidly as the east part has.

See also

• Comparing
• Basic comparisons with "bi"
• Basic comparisons with "yiyang"
• Expressing comparable degree with "you"
• Basic comparisons with "meiyou"

Sources and further reading

Books

• Boya Chinese Lower Intermediate 2 (博雅汉语准中级加速篇) (pp. 80) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

HSK5