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.

Used for Comparison

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.

Structure

A + 有 + B + Adj. + 吗 ？

This form is often used with 那么, which in this case means "as much." And it indicates that B is already very [Adj.]. When B is absent, 那么 mean "so" or "that".

A + 有 (+ B) + 那么 + Adj. + 吗 ？

Examples

• 他 有 我 帅 吗 ？Tā yǒu wǒ shuài ma?Is he as handsome as me?
• 泰国 有 日本 好玩 吗 ？Tàiguó yǒu Rìběn hǎowán ma?Is Thailand as fun as Japan?
• 你 去 过 的 地方 有 我 多 吗 ？Nǐ qù guo de dìfang yǒu wǒ duō ma?Have you been to as many places as I have?
• 你 的 工资 有 那么 高 吗 ？Nǐ de gōngzī yǒu nàme gāo ma?Is your salary that high?
• 他 有 那么 厉害 吗 ？Tā yǒu nàme lìhai ma?Is he that difficult to deal with?

Used for Description

Notice that all these example sentences are questions. This form can also be used in simple statements. Note that 描述人身高、体重或空间大小时，用数字加相应的计量单位，如"米、公斤、平方米"即可，不用加"高、重、大"。

Structure

Used in a question:

Subj. + 有 + 多 + 大 / 高 / 深 / 宽 / 长 / 重 ？

Used in a Statement:

Subj. + 有 + Number + Unit + 高 / 深 / 宽 / 长

如果不确定具体的number，可以用参照物B来代替：

A + 有 + B + 这么 / 那么 + 高 / 深 / 宽 / 长

Examples

• 他 有 一 米 九 。Tā yǒu yī mǐ jiǔ.His height is 1.9 meter.

• 你 家 有 多 大 ？ Nǐ jiā yǒu duō dà ?How big is your house?
• 我 家 有 一百 三十 平 。Wǒ jiā yǒu yī bǎi sānshí píng.My house is 130 square meters.

• 这 条 河 有 多 长 ？Zhè tiáo hé yǒu duō cháng?How long is this river?
• 这 条 河 有 五 百 多 公里（长）。Zhè tiáo hé yǒu wǔ bǎi duō gōnglǐ (cháng).This river is five hundred kilometers long.

• 他 有 多 高 ？Tā yǒu duō gāo?How tall is he?
• 他 有 他 那么 爸爸 高 。Tā yǒu tā bàba nàme gāo.He is already as tall as his father.

• 这 个 门 有 多 宽 ？Zhège mén yǒu duō kuān?How wide is the door?
• 这 个 门 只 有 我 的 肩膀 这么 宽 。Zhè gè mén zhī yǒu wǒ de jiānbǎng zhème kuān.This door is only my shoulder's wide.

• 他 有 多 重 ？Tā yǒu duō zhòng?How much does he weigh?
• 这个 孩子 才 十 岁，已经 有 一百 五十 斤 了 。One "jin" = 500gZhège háizi cái shí suì, yǐjīng yǒu yī bǎi wǔshí jīn le.This kid is only ten, but he's already 150 jin.

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