Difference between revisions of "Basic comparisons with "bu bi""

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不比 and [[Basic comparisons with "meiyou"|没有]] are not exactly the same.  没有 means "not as... as," whereas 不比 is a direct negation of [[Basic comparisons with "bi"|比]], meaning "''not'' more... than."  Compare the following two English sentences:
 
不比 and [[Basic comparisons with "meiyou"|没有]] are not exactly the same.  没有 means "not as... as," whereas 不比 is a direct negation of [[Basic comparisons with "bi"|比]], meaning "''not'' more... than."  Compare the following two English sentences:
  
* You're not as smart as me. (没有)
+
* You're '''not as smart''' as me. (没有)
* You're not smarter than me. (不比)
+
* 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:
 
You'd probably be more upset to hear the former from a friend than the latter.  The two above sentences in Chinese are:

Revision as of 07:47, 19 October 2011

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

The structure is:

Subject + 不比 + Noun + Adjective

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

Some examples:

  • 小明 不 比 小刚 聪明。
  • 不 比 你 胖。
  • 不 比 你 翻译 得 好。

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 , 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:

  • 没有 我 聪明。
  • 不 比 我 聪明。