Expressing "much more" in comparisons

If you want to up the intensity of your comparisons, you might want to express "much more." You can do this using 多 (duō), but did you know there are actually three different ways to do it?

Basic Pattern

Structure

As well as expressing that two things differ, you might want to go further and say that they differ a lot by adding 很多 (hěn duō), 多了(duō le), or 得多 (de duō). This is like saying that one thing is much more Adj. than another in English.

Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + Adj. + 很多 / 多了 / 得多

Examples

  • 拼音 汉字 容易 很 多Pīnyīn Hànzì róngyì hěn duō.Pinyin is much easier than Chinese characters.
  • 坐 高铁 坐 飞机 方便 很 多Zuò gāotiě zuò fēijī fāngbiàn hěn duō.It's much more convenient to take the high-speed train than the airplane.
  • 他 打 篮球 我 厉害 多 了Tā dǎ lánqiú wǒ lìhai duō le.He plays basketball much better than I do.
  • 这 个 老师 那个 老师 严格 得 多Zhè gè lǎoshī nàge lǎoshī yángé de duō.This teacher is much more strict than that teacher.
  • 我 感觉 今天 昨天 好 多了Wǒ gǎnjué jīntiān zuótiān hǎo duō le.I feel much better today than yesterday.

Advanced Pattern

When used in a comparison, 还 expresses an even higher degree of the adjective.

Structure

Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + 还 + Adj.

Examples

  • 这个 牌子 那个 牌子 贵 。Zhège páizi nàge páizi hái guì.This brandname is even more expensive than that one.
  • 老板 忙 ? lǎobǎn hái máng?You're even busier than the boss?
  • 姚明 高 。 YáoMíng hái gāo.He is even taller than Yao Ming.
  • 上海 的 人口 北京 多 。Shànghǎi de rénkǒu Běijīng hái duō.The population of Shanghai is even bigger than Beijing.
  • 她 妈妈 年轻 。Tā māma hái niánqīng.Her mother is even younger than her.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites