Expressing comparable degree with "you"

有 (yǒu), besides just meaning "to have," can also be used in comparisons. It's what you use instead of 比 (bǐ) if something is "as [Adj.] as" something else.

Basic structure

The structure is very straightforward. It literally means "A has B's [Adj.]." The meaning is "A is as [Adj.] as B." This pattern is often used in questions.

A 有 B＋Adj.＋吗？

Examples

• 他 有 我 帅 吗？Tā yǒu wǒ shuài ma?Is he as handsome as me?
• 你 的 衣服 有 我 的 多 吗？Nǐ de yīfu yǒu wǒ de duō ma?Do you have as many clothes as I do?
• 泰国 有 日本 好玩 吗？Tàiguó yǒu Rìběn hǎowán ma?Is Thailand as fun as Japan?
• 你 儿子 有 我 儿子 调皮 吗？Nǐ érzi yǒu wǒ érzi tiáopí ma?Is your son as naughty as my son?
• 你 做 的 饭 有 我 妈妈 做 的 好吃 吗？Nǐ zuò de fàn yǒu wǒ māma zuò de hǎochī ma?Is the food you cooked as delicious as what my mother cooked?

Notice that all these example sentences are questions. Typically this form is used in questions, although they can be used in simple statements, like:

• 他 有 我 高。Tā yǒu wǒ gāo.He is as tall as me.

Structure with 那么

This form is often used with 那么, which in this case means "as much." This is sort of like saying "You are as much tall as your brother," but it actually sounds good in Chinese.

A 有 B + 那么 + Adj. + 吗？

Examples

• 她 有 范冰冰 那么 漂亮 吗？Tā yǒu Fàn Bīngbīng nàme piàoliang ma?Is she as beautiful as Fan Bingbing?
• 你 的 中文 有 John 那么 好 吗？Nǐ de Zhōngwén yǒu John nàme hǎo ma?Is your Chinese as good as John's?
• 上海 的 房子 有 纽约 的 那么 贵 吗？Shànghǎi de fángzi yǒu Niǔyuē de nàme guì ma?Are the apartments in Shanghai just as expensive as in New York?
• 你 男 朋友 有 我 那么 高 吗？Nǐ nán péngyou yǒu wǒ nàme gāo ma?Is your boyfriend just as tall as me?
• 伦敦 的 人口 有 上海 那么 多 吗？Lúndūn de rénkǒu yǒu Shànghǎi nàme duō ma?Is London's population as big as Shanghai's?

Make sure that you use an Adj. with this form. In English we may say something like "You have your mother's eyes," but you cannot say that in Chinese.

• 你 有 你 妈妈 的 眼睛。Nǐ yǒu nǐ māma de yǎnjīng.You (literally) have your mother's eyes. (Incorrect)
• 你 的 眼睛 有 你 妈妈 的 眼睛 那么 大。Nǐ de yǎnjīng yǒu nǐ māma de yǎnjīng nàme dà.Your eyes are as big as your mother's eyes.

The negative form of this grammar pattern is with 没有.

See also

• Basic comparisons with "meiyou"
• Basic comparisons with "bi"
• Basic comparisons with "bu bi"
• Comparisons with "buru"
• Basic comparisons with "yiyang"

Sources and further reading

Books

• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 33-4) →buy

• 现代汉语八百词 (p.631) →buy