Comparisons with "buru"

Revision as of 02:05, 8 October 2012 by Dan01732 (talk | contribs)

不如 means "not as good as", and can be used to make comparisons in a similar way as the structure e.g. A is not as good as B.

Structure

A + 不如 + B + (adjective/verb)

Examples

  • 不如 姚明 高。
  • 城市 的 生活 环境 不如 乡下 舒服。
  • 他 用 Excel表格 不如 我 用 得 好。
  • 这个 语法点 不如 前面的 那个 解释 得 清楚。

Unlike the 比 structure, the adjective or verb in this structure can be omitted, meaning that A does not live up to, or is unequal to B. It is used like this:

A + 不如 + B

For example:

  • 我 感觉看 电影 不如 看 电视剧。
  • 浙江 人 特别 会 做 生意,连 广东 人 都不如他们!

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.

For example:

  • 既然 已经 做了 一半 了,你 不如 坚持 下去。
  • 与其 空想,不如 马上 行动,做 出 点儿 成绩。

As in the last example sentence, 不如 often occurs in the 与其...不如 structure, meaning "rather than X... might as well Y".

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

HSK5