Expressing "equal to" with "dengyu"
The word 等于 (děngyú) as in "A 等于 B" is a mathematical term which, in everyday language, also expresses that A "is equal to" or "amounts to" B. However, scenario B is most likely not a scenario or situation that a person intentionally wanted or created for scenario A.
Structure
A 等于 B
Examples
- 今天 吃 了 炸鸡 ，等于白 跑步 了。 I ate fried chicken today, which amounts to me going jogging for nothing.
- 你 告诉 小王 就 等于 把 秘密 告诉 了 大家。 Telling Xiao Wang your secret is equivalent to telling everyone your secret.
- 浪费 时间 等于 浪费 生命。Wasting your time is wasting your life.
- 吃 一半 西瓜 等于 吃 三 碗 米饭。Eating half of a watermelon is equivalent to eating three bowls of rice.
- 你 去 了 ，就 等于 我 去 了。If you go, it's the same as if I went.
- 金钱 不 等于 幸福 ，你 自己 要 好好 想想。Money is not equal to happiness, you should think about it carefully.
- 一个 国家 不 发展 经济 ， 等于 给 对手 机会 。If a country does not develop its economy, it is giving its rivals an opportunity.
- 这样 做 等于 把 钱 送 给 他。To do this amounts to giving him the money.
- 变老 不 等于 成熟 了，成熟 是 自己 对 自己 做 过 的 事情 负责。Growing old is not equivalent to maturing. Maturity is being responsible for what you have done.
- 你 给 了 别人 一个 机会，也 等于 给 了 自己 一个 机会。If you give others a chance, it's equivalent to giving yourself a chance too.
