Difference between revisions of "Comparisons with "buru""

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不如 (bùrú) can be used to make comparisons in a similar way as the [[Basic comparisons with "bi"|比]] structure. In its simplest form 不如 is used to convey that A is “not as good as” B. Unlike the 比 structure, when used in this way, the adjective or verb can be omitted.
不如 (bùrú) can be used to make comparisons in a similar way as the [[Basic comparisons with "bi"|比]] structure. In its simplest form 不如 is used to convey that A is 'not as good as' B. Unlike the 比 structure, when used in this way, the adjective or verb can be omitted.
 
  
 
== Simple Pattern ==
 
== Simple Pattern ==
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<div class="liju">
*我 哥 的 成绩 <em>不如</em> 我 的成绩好。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ gē de chéngjī <em>bùrú</em> wǒ de chéngjī hǎo.</span><span class="trans">My older brother's grades are not as good as mine.</span>
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*我 哥 的 成绩 <em>不如</em> 我的 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ gē de chéngjì <em>bùrú</em> wǒ de.</span><span class="trans">My older brother's grades are not as good as mine.</span>
*看 电影 <em>不如</em> 看 原著 。<span class="pinyin">Kàn diànyǐng <em>bùrú</em> kàn yuánzhù.</span><span class="trans">Watching the movie isn't as good as reading the book.</span>
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*看 电影 <em>不如</em> 看 原著 。<span class="pinyin">Kàn diànyǐng <em>bùrú</em> kàn yuánzhù.</span><span class="trans">Watching a movie isn't as good as reading the book.</span>
*他 总是 觉得 自己 <em>不如</em> 别人 。<span class="pinyin">Tā zǒng shì juédé zìjǐ <em>bùrú</em> biérén.</span><span class="trans">He always thinks he's not as good as other people.</span>
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*他 总是 觉得 自己 <em>不如</em> 别人 。<span class="pinyin">Tā zǒngshì juéde zìjǐ <em>bùrú</em> biérén.</span><span class="trans">He always thinks he's not as good as other people.</span>
 
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== Advanced Pattern ==
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== Advanced Patterns ==
  
When an adjective or verb is added to the structure it can then be used to mean A is not as 'adjective' as B, or A does not 'verb' as well as B:
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When an adjective or verb is added to the structure it can then be used to mean A is not as "adjective" as B, or A does not "verb" as well as B:
  
 
=== Structure ===
 
=== Structure ===
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*这 件 裙子 <em>不如</em> 那 件 好看 。<span class="trans">This dress doesn't look as good as that one.</span>
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*这 件 裙子 <em>不如</em> 那 件 好看 。<span class="pinyin">Zhè jiàn qúnzi <em>bùrú</em> nà jiàn hǎokàn.</span><span class="trans">This dress doesn't look as good as that one.</span>
*那个 说法 <em>不如</em> 这个 说法 实用 。<span class="trans">This saying isn't as practical as that one.</span>
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*那个 说法 <em>不如</em> 这个 说法 实用 。<span class="pinyin">Nàge shuōfǎ <em>bùrú</em> zhège shuōfǎ shíyòng.</span><span class="trans">This saying isn't as practical as that one.</span>
*他 穿 得 <em>不如</em> 你 好看 。<span class="trans">He doesn't dress as well as you do.</span>
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*他 穿 得 <em>不如</em> 你 好看 。<span class="pinyin">Tā chuān de <em>bùrú</em> nǐ hǎokàn.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't dress as well as you do.</span>
*我 担心 我 解释 得 <em>不如</em> 你 清楚 。<span class="trans">I'm afraid that I can't explain as clearly as you do.</span>
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*我 担心 我 解释 得 <em>不如</em> 你 清楚 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ dānxīn wǒ jiěshì de <em>bùrú</em> nǐ qīngchǔ.</span><span class="trans">I'm afraid that I can't explain it as clearly as you.</span>
*他 说 中文 <em>不如</em> 他 老婆 说 得 地道 。<span class="trans">He doesn't speak Chinese as authentically as his wife does.</span>
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*他 说 中文 <em>不如</em> 他 老婆 说 得 地道 。<span class="pinyin">Tā shuō Zhōngwén <em>bùrú</em> tā lǎopo shuō de dìdao.</span><span class="trans">He doesn't speak Chinese as authentically as his wife does.</span>
*我 打字 <em>不如</em> 你 打 得 快 。<span class="trans">I don't type as fast as you do.</span>
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*我 打字 <em>不如</em> 你 打 得 快 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ dǎ zì <em>bùrú</em> nǐ dǎ de kuài.</span><span class="trans">I don't type as fast as you do.</span>
  
 
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== 不如 as an Adverb ==
 
== 不如 as an Adverb ==
  
When facing a choice, 不如 can also be used to mean "might as well" to emphasize the choice is the better of two options. When used like this, it is similar in meaning to 不妨.
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When facing a choice, 不如 can also be used to mean "might as well" to emphasize that the choice that comes after 不如 is better than what was just being discussed. When used like this, it is similar in meaning to 不妨 (bùfáng).
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=== Structure ===
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<div class="jiegou">
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(与其 …… ,) 不如 ……
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</div>
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不如 often occurs in the [[与其]]……不如…… (yǔqí... bùrú...) structure, meaning "rather than... might as well...." See [[Expressing "rather than..." with "yuqi... buru"|the grammar point on 与其]] for other similar patterns.
  
 
=== Examples ===
 
=== Examples ===
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*在 家 看 电视 多 无聊 !<em>不如</em> 去 KTV 吧 。<span class="trans"> , might as well .</span>
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*在 家 看 电视 多 无聊 !<em>不如</em> 去 KTV 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Zài jiā kàn diànshì duō wúliáo! <em>Bùrú</em> qù KTV ba.</span><span class="trans">Watching TV at home is so boring! It'd be more fun to go do karaoke.</span>
*我们 在 这里 等 也 是 浪费 时间 ,<em>不如</em> 先 去 吃 个 饭 吧 。<span class="trans">It's a waste of time for us to wait here.We might as well go out and eat something first.</span>
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*我们 在 这里 等 也 是 浪费 时间 ,<em>不如</em> 先 去 吃 个 饭 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen zài zhèlǐ děng yě shì làngfèi shíjiān, <em>bùrú</em> xiān qù chī gè fàn ba.</span><span class="trans">It's a waste of time for us to wait here. We might as well go out and eat something first.</span>
*<em>与其</em> 空想,<em>不如</em> 马上 行动 。<span class="trans">Rather than fantasizing, you might as well take action right away.</span>
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*<em>与其</em> 空想,<em>不如</em> 马上 行动 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Yǔqí</em> kōngxiǎng, <em>bùrú</em> mǎshàng xíngdòng.</span><span class="trans">Rather than fantasizing about it, you might as well take action right away.</span>
*<em>与其</em> 天天 吵架 ,<em>不如</em> 离婚 。<span class="trans">Rather than fighting each and every day, you might as well break up.</span>
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*<em>与其</em> 天天 吵架 ,<em>不如</em> 分手 <span class="pinyin"><em>Yǔqí</em> tiāntiān chǎojià, <em>bùrú</em> fēnshǒu.</span><span class="trans">Rather than fighting every day, you might as well break up.</span>
 
 
 
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As in the last two example sentences, 不如 often occurs in the 与其...不如 structure, meaning "rather than X... might as well Y."
 
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
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{{Rel char|不}}
 
{{Rel char|不}}
 
{{Rel char|如}}
 
{{Rel char|如}}
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{{Rel char|与其}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing comparable degree with "you"}}
 
{{Similar|Expressing comparable degree with "you"}}
 
{{Similar|Basic comparisons with "bu bi"}}
 
{{Similar|Basic comparisons with "bu bi"}}
 
{{Similar|Comparing Specifically with "xiang"}}
 
{{Similar|Comparing Specifically with "xiang"}}
{{Similar|Comparing}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "would rather" with "ningke"}}
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{{Similar|Expressing "rather than..." with "yuqi... buru"}}
 
{{Used for|Denying and refusing}}
 
{{Used for|Denying and refusing}}
 
{{Used for|Comparing}}
 
{{Used for|Comparing}}
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{{Used for|Expressing preference}}
 
{{POS|Verbs}}
 
{{POS|Verbs}}
 
{{Subprop|Verbs}}
 
{{Subprop|Verbs}}
 
{{Translation|less}}
 
{{Translation|less}}
 
{{Translation|not}}
 
{{Translation|not}}

Latest revision as of 00:23, 18 January 2021

不如 (bùrú) can be used to make comparisons in a similar way as the structure. In its simplest form 不如 is used to convey that A is “not as good as” B. Unlike the 比 structure, when used in this way, the adjective or verb can be omitted.

Simple Pattern

Structure

A + 不如 + B

Examples

  • 我 哥 的 成绩 不如 我的 。Wǒ gē de chéngjì bùrú wǒ de.My older brother's grades are not as good as mine.
  • 看 电影 不如 看 原著 。Kàn diànyǐng bùrú kàn yuánzhù.Watching a movie isn't as good as reading the book.
  • 他 总是 觉得 自己 不如 别人 。Tā zǒngshì juéde zìjǐ bùrú biérén.He always thinks he's not as good as other people.

Advanced Patterns

When an adjective or verb is added to the structure it can then be used to mean A is not as "adjective" as B, or A does not "verb" as well as B:

Structure

A + 不如 + B + Adj.

A + Verb + 得 + 不如 + B + Adj.

A + Verb-Obj. + 不如 + B+ (Verb + 得) + Adj.

Examples

  • 这 件 裙子 不如 那 件 好看 。Zhè jiàn qúnzi bùrú nà jiàn hǎokàn.This dress doesn't look as good as that one.
  • 那个 说法 不如 这个 说法 实用 。Nàge shuōfǎ bùrú zhège shuōfǎ shíyòng.This saying isn't as practical as that one.
  • 他 穿 得 不如 你 好看 。Tā chuān de bùrú nǐ hǎokàn.He doesn't dress as well as you do.
  • 我 担心 我 解释 得 不如 你 清楚 。Wǒ dānxīn wǒ jiěshì de bùrú nǐ qīngchǔ.I'm afraid that I can't explain it as clearly as you.
  • 他 说 中文 不如 他 老婆 说 得 地道 。Tā shuō Zhōngwén bùrú tā lǎopo shuō de dìdao.He doesn't speak Chinese as authentically as his wife does.
  • 我 打字 不如 你 打 得 快 。Wǒ dǎ zì bùrú nǐ dǎ de kuài.I don't type as fast as you do.

不如 as an Adverb

When facing a choice, 不如 can also be used to mean "might as well" to emphasize that the choice that comes after 不如 is better than what was just being discussed. When used like this, it is similar in meaning to 不妨 (bùfáng).

Structure

(与其 …… ,) 不如 ……

不如 often occurs in the 与其……不如…… (yǔqí... bùrú...) structure, meaning "rather than... might as well...." See the grammar point on 与其 for other similar patterns.

Examples

  • 在 家 看 电视 多 无聊 !不如 去 KTV 吧 。Zài jiā kàn diànshì duō wúliáo! Bùrú qù KTV ba.Watching TV at home is so boring! It'd be more fun to go do karaoke.
  • 我们 在 这里 等 也 是 浪费 时间 ,不如 先 去 吃 个 饭 吧 。Wǒmen zài zhèlǐ děng yě shì làngfèi shíjiān, bùrú xiān qù chī gè fàn ba.It's a waste of time for us to wait here. We might as well go out and eat something first.
  • 与其 空想,不如 马上 行动 。Yǔqí kōngxiǎng, bùrú mǎshàng xíngdòng.Rather than fantasizing about it, you might as well take action right away.
  • 与其 天天 吵架 ,不如 分手 。Yǔqí tiāntiān chǎojià, bùrú fēnshǒu.Rather than fighting every day, you might as well break up.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK5