Basic comparisons with "bu bi"

Often Chinese speakers will say something (or someone!) is not as good/strong/smart as something else. This is one the grammar patterns they use.

Structure

To say that something is not more adjective as another, you can use 不比 (bù bǐ). No snickering, please.

Subject + 不比 + Noun + Adjective

This is similar to, but not exactly the same as comparing with 没有.

Examples

• 这个老师 不 比他的 学生 聪明。The teacher is not smarter than his students.
• 我 不 比 你 适应 现代都市生活。I am not more accustomed to the life in modern cities than you.
• 我 不 比 你 翻译 得 好。I don't translate as well as you do.

The Difference between 不比 and 没有

不比 and 没有 are not exactly the same. 没有 means "not as... as," whereas 不比 is a direct negation of 比, meaning "not more... than." Compare the following two English sentences:

• You're not as smart as me. (没有)
• You're not smarter than me. (不比)

You'd probably be more upset to hear the former from a friend than the latter. The two above sentences in Chinese are:

• 你 没有 我 聪明。 (I am definitely smarter than you; we're not equal in smarts.)
• 你 不 比 我 聪明。 (You're no smarter than I am, but we might be equal in smarts.)

See also

• Basic comparisons with "bi"
• Basic comparisons with "meiyou"
• Expressing "much more" in comparisons

Sources and further reading

Books

• Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 64) →buy

HSK4