Difference between revisions of "Basic comparisons with "meiyou""

 
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As well as with [[Basic comparisons with "bi"|比]], you can also use 没有 (méiyǒu) to make basic comparisons. You could think of 没有 as the opposite of 比 - it works in the same way, but rather than expressing "more... than..." it expresses "not as... as...":
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{{Grammar Box}}
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In Chinese, there is another way to make comparisons. You can use [[Negation of "you" with "mei"|没有 (méiyǒu)]] to express that something is "not as" ''adjective'' as something else.  (Yes, that's the same 没有 (méiyǒu) that means "not have," used here in a different way.)
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== Basic Usage ==
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As well as with [[Basic comparisons with "bi"|比 (bǐ)]], you can also use 没有 (méiyǒu) to make basic comparisons. You could think of 没有 (méiyǒu) as the opposite of 比 (bǐ) - it works in the same way, but rather than expressing "more... than..." it expresses "not as... as...":
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Noun 1 + 没有 + Noun 2 + Adjective
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Noun 1 + 没有 + Noun 2 + Adj.
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
In this structure, the noun that's placed first is ''less'' "adjective" than the second noun (hence 没有 being like in reverse). So in the sentence:
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In this structure, the noun that's placed first is ''less'' "adjective" than the second noun, making 没有 (méiyǒu) the ''opposite'' of [[Basic comparisons with "bi"|(bǐ)]] for comparison purposes. So in the sentence:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 小张 <em>没有</em> 小李 高。 <span class="expl">(Xiao Zhang is not as tall as Xiao Li.)</span>
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* 小张 <em>没有</em> 小李 高 。 <span class="pinyin">Xiǎo Zhāng <em>méiyǒu</em> Xiǎo Lǐ gāo.</span><span class="trans">Xiao Zhang is not as tall as Xiao Li.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
小李 is taller. The same situation could be described as:
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小李 (Xiǎo Lǐ) is taller. The same situation could be described as:
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* 小李 <em>没有</em> 小张 矮。 <span class="expl">(Xiao Li is not as short as Xiao Zhang.)</span>
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* 小李 <em>没有</em> 小张 矮 。 <span class="pinyin">Xiǎo Lǐ <em>méiyǒu</em> Xiǎo Zhāng ǎi.</span><span class="trans">Xiao Li is not as short as Xiao Zhang.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Some more examples:
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== Examples ==
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
* <em>没有</em> 我 胖。
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* 这 个 地方 <em>没有</em> 上海 好玩。 <span class="pinyin">Zhège dìfang <em>méiyǒu</em> Shànghǎi hǎowán.</span><span class="trans">This place is not as fun as Shanghai.</span>
* 他们 <em>没有</em> 我们 酷。
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* 火车 <em>没有</em> 飞机 快。 <span class="pinyin">Huǒchē <em>méiyǒu</em> fēijī kuài.</span><span class="trans">Trains are not as fast as airplanes.</span>
* 这 辆 车 <em>没有</em> 那 辆 快。
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* 他 <em>没有</em> 他弟弟 聪明。 <span class="pinyin">Tā <em>méiyǒu</em> tā dìdi cōngming.</span><span class="trans">He's not as smart as his younger brother.</span>
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* Clinton <em>没有</em> Obama 帅。 <span class="pinyin">Clinton <em>méiyǒu</em> Obama shuài.</span><span class="trans">Clinton is not as handsome as Obama.</span>
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* 马云 <em>没有</em> Bill Gates 有钱。 <span class="pinyin">Mǎyún <em>méiyǒu</em> Bill Gates yǒuqián.</span><span class="trans">Jack Ma is not as rich as Bill Gates.</span>
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* 你们 公司 <em>没有</em> 我们公司 大。 <span class="pinyin"> Nǐmen gōngsī <em>méiyǒu</em> wǒmen gōngsī dà.</span><span class="trans"> Your company is not as big as ours.</span>
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* 拼音 <em>没有</em> 汉字 难。 <span class="pinyin">Pīnyīn <em>méiyǒu</em> Hànzì nán.</span><span class="trans">Pinyin is not as difficult as Chinese characters.</span>
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* 坐 公交车 <em>没有</em> 坐地铁 方便。 <span class="pinyin">Zuò gōngjiāochē <em>méiyǒu</em> zuò dìtiě fāngbiàn.</span><span class="trans">Taking the bus is not as convenient as taking the metro.</span>
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* 小米 手机 <em>没有</em> iPhone 贵。 <span class="pinyin"> Xiǎomǐ shǒujī <em>méiyǒu</em>  iPhone guì.</span><span class="trans">The Xiaomi phone is not as expensive as the iPhone.</span>
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* 爸爸 做的 菜 <em>没有</em> 妈妈 做的菜 好吃。<span class="pinyin">Bàba zuò de cài <em>méiyǒu</em> māma zuò de cài hǎochī.</span><span class="trans">The food dad cooks is not as tasty as the food mom cooks.</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
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* [[Basic comparisons with "bi"]]
 
* [[Basic comparisons with "bi"]]
 
* [[Basic comparisons with "bu bi"]]
 
* [[Basic comparisons with "bu bi"]]
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* [[Negation of "you" with "mei"]]
 
* [[Comparisons with "buru"]]
 
* [[Comparisons with "buru"]]
  
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)]] (pp. 33-4) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/756191251X/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=756191251X →buy]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 3|84}}
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 2 (3rd ed)|69- 71}}
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{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|54-5}}
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3)|33-4}}
  
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A2 grammar points]]
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
 
[[Category:Comparison]]
 
[[Category:Comparison]]
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{{Basic Grammar|没有|A2|Noun 1 + 没(有) + Noun 2 + Adj.|你 <em>没有</em> 我 胖 。|grammar point|ASGEAH5M}}
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{{Rel char|没}}
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{{Rel char|有}}
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{{Similar|Basic comparisons with "bi"}} 
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{{Similar|Negation of "you" with "mei"}} 
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{{Similar|Comparing "bu" and "mei"}}
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{{Used for|Comparing}}
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{{Used for|Denying and refusing}}
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{{POS|Verbs}}
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{{Subprop|Verbs}}
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{{Translation|not}}

Latest revision as of 09:07, 20 June 2019

In Chinese, there is another way to make comparisons. You can use 没有 (méiyǒu) to express that something is "not as" adjective as something else. (Yes, that's the same 没有 (méiyǒu) that means "not have," used here in a different way.)

Basic Usage

As well as with 比 (bǐ), you can also use 没有 (méiyǒu) to make basic comparisons. You could think of 没有 (méiyǒu) as the opposite of 比 (bǐ) - it works in the same way, but rather than expressing "more... than..." it expresses "not as... as...":

Noun 1 + 没有 + Noun 2 + Adj.

In this structure, the noun that's placed first is less "adjective" than the second noun, making 没有 (méiyǒu) the opposite of 比 (bǐ) for comparison purposes. So in the sentence:

  • 小张 没有 小李 高 。 Xiǎo Zhāng méiyǒu Xiǎo Lǐ gāo.Xiao Zhang is not as tall as Xiao Li.

小李 (Xiǎo Lǐ) is taller. The same situation could be described as:

  • 小李 没有 小张 矮 。 Xiǎo Lǐ méiyǒu Xiǎo Zhāng ǎi.Xiao Li is not as short as Xiao Zhang.

Examples

  • 这 个 地方 没有 上海 好玩。 Zhège dìfang méiyǒu Shànghǎi hǎowán.This place is not as fun as Shanghai.
  • 火车 没有 飞机 快。 Huǒchē méiyǒu fēijī kuài.Trains are not as fast as airplanes.
  • 没有 他弟弟 聪明。 méiyǒu tā dìdi cōngming.He's not as smart as his younger brother.
  • Clinton 没有 Obama 帅。 Clinton méiyǒu Obama shuài.Clinton is not as handsome as Obama.
  • 马云 没有 Bill Gates 有钱。 Mǎyún méiyǒu Bill Gates yǒuqián.Jack Ma is not as rich as Bill Gates.
  • 你们 公司 没有 我们公司 大。 Nǐmen gōngsī méiyǒu wǒmen gōngsī dà. Your company is not as big as ours.
  • 拼音 没有 汉字 难。 Pīnyīn méiyǒu Hànzì nán.Pinyin is not as difficult as Chinese characters.
  • 坐 公交车 没有 坐地铁 方便。 Zuò gōngjiāochē méiyǒu zuò dìtiě fāngbiàn.Taking the bus is not as convenient as taking the metro.
  • 小米 手机 没有 iPhone 贵。 Xiǎomǐ shǒujī méiyǒu iPhone guì.The Xiaomi phone is not as expensive as the iPhone.
  • 爸爸 做的 菜 没有 妈妈 做的菜 好吃。Bàba zuò de cài méiyǒu māma zuò de cài hǎochī.The food dad cooks is not as tasty as the food mom cooks.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books