Comparing "youdian" and "yidian"

有点 yǒudiǎn and 一点 yīdiǎn (有点儿 [yǒudiǎn] and 一点儿 [yǒu yīdiǎner] in Northern dialects) both mean the same thing, "a little" or "a bit", but they have different ways of being used in sentences.

Positions in sentence is different

有点 (also 有点儿) is placed after a subject but before an adjective, and it usually expressed something that you don't want. Some examples of adjectives that can be coupled with 有点 are 生气, 伤心, 难过，讨厌 etc.

有点儿 is before adjective

有点儿+Adjective

Examples

• 我 觉得 这 个 人 有点儿 懒。I think this person is a little lazy.
• 在 这里 工作 有点儿 累。It is a little boring to work here.
• 今天 有点儿 冷。Today it's a little cold.
• 水 有点儿 热。The water is a little warm.
• 上海 菜 有点儿 甜。Shanghai food is a little sweet.
• 我 有点儿 饿。I'm a little hungry.
• 老板 有点儿 生气。The boss is a little mad.
• 我 有点儿 讨厌 这 个 地方。I dislike this place a little.
• 妈妈 有点儿 难过。Mom is a little sad.
• 她 走 了，他 有点儿 伤心。She left, he is a little broken hearted.

一点 (also 一点儿) cannot be placed before an adjective, instead, it is placed after an adjective. The adjectives that can be used are particularly limited. They often express some kind of comparison.

一点儿 is after adjective

Adjective + （了）一点儿

Examples

• 老板，便宜 一点儿 吧。Sir, a little cheaper please. (directed to the owner of a shop)
• 请 说 得 慢 一 点 儿。Please speak a little more slowly.
• 快 一点儿，要 迟到 了。A bit faster, we will be late.
• 我们 应该 做 得 好 一点儿。We should make it a bit better.
• 放 点 肉 吧，好吃 一点儿。But some meat in it, it will taste a bit better.
• 这 个 地方 的 衣服 贵 一点儿，但是 好看 一点儿。The clothes this place is a bit expensive, but it is a bit prettier.
• 这 个 菜 辣 了 一点儿。This piece of clothing is a little expensive.
• 蛋糕 不错，可是 甜了一点儿。The cake is good, but it is a bit sweet.
• 上海 比 北京 热 一点儿。Shanghai is a bit hotter than Beijing.
• 我们 今天 学 的 语法 会难 一点儿。The grammar we studied today was a bit difficult.

Negative forms are different

In this structure, after 有点(or 有点儿) you can add use 不 or 没, however the following adjective should have a positive connotation, like 高兴, 安全, 太好 etc.

Negative 有点儿

有点儿+ 不/没 + Adjective/Verb

Examples

• 我 觉得 这 个 人 有点儿 不 聪明。I think this person is a little stupid (Lit: is a little not clever).
• 老板 有点儿 不 高兴。The boss is a little unhappy.
• 我 今天 有点儿 不 舒服。Today I am a little uncomfortable (Lit: a little not comfortable).
• 晚上 一个人 回家 有点儿 不 安全。Last night a person returned home a little unsafe.
• 我 还是 有点儿 不 明白。I still don't really understand. (Lit: a little not understand)
• 这样 做 有点儿 不 太 好 吧。Making it this way is not very good.
• 这 个 时间 有点儿 不 方便。This time is a bit inconvenient.
• 我 有点儿 不 喜欢 这 个 地方。I don't really like this place.
• 他 有点儿 不想回 美国。He doesn't really want to go to America.
• 我 有点儿 不 相信 他。I am a little unconvinced.

一点 (or 一点儿) cannot be linked together directly, but it can be used in the 一点儿也/都不 or 一点儿也/都没 structure.

Negative 一点儿

一点儿+ 也/都+ 不/没 + Adjective

Examples

• 老板，便宜 一点儿 吧。Sir, a little cheaper please. (directed to the owner of a shop)
• 这 个 老师 说话 一点儿 都 不 慢。Please speak a little more slowly.
• 我们 做 得 一点儿 都 不 好。
• 这 个 菜 一点儿 都 不 好吃。
• 这 个 地方 的 衣服 一点儿 都 不 贵。
• 这 是 四川 菜 吗？一点儿 也 不 辣。This piece of clothing is a little expensive.
• 为什么 这 个 可乐 一点儿 也 不 甜。
• 今天一点儿 也 不 热。
• 我们 今天 学 的 语法 一点儿 也 不 难。
• 你 看起来 一点儿 也 不 累。You look like you are not even a bit tired.

Examples of right and wrong sentences

• 我 有点 饿。
I'm a bit hungry.
• 我 一点 饿。
I'm a little hungry.
• 老板 有点儿 生气。
The boss is a bit angry.
• 老板 一点儿 生气。
Boss is a little angry.
• 这 件 衣服 贵 了 一点儿 。
This piece of clothing is a bit expensive.
• 这 件 衣服 贵 了 有点儿 。
This piece of clothing expensive a little.
• 老板，便宜 一点儿 吧。
Sir, how about a bit cheaper?
• 老板，便宜 有点儿 吧。
Sir, how about a little cheaper?

Example dialog

• A: 这件衣服有点儿贵啊。This piece of clothing is a bit expensive.
• B: 是 贵 了 一点儿，但是 真 的 很 好看，我 好 喜欢。It's a bit expensive, but it looks really good, I like it.
• A: 服务员，这 件 衣服 能 不 能 便宜 一点？Attendant, could we get this a little cheaper?
• C: 不好意思，这 是 新 的，一点儿 也 不 能 便宜。I'm sorry, this is a new item, it can't even be a little bit cheaper.

See also

• Expressing "A bit too"
• Expressing "a little too" with "you dian"
• "Not at all"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (“一点儿”p. 602) →buy
• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (“有点儿”p. 633) →buy
• 对外汉语教学语法释疑201例 (p.172) →buy

Websites

• Chinesegrammar.info: Where to place 一点儿 (yī diǎnr) in a sentence