Expressing "even more" with "geng"

To express "even more," (as in "even more expensive," "even more ridiculous," "even more badass"), use 更 (gèng). It frequently comes before adjectives.

Basic Usage

Structure

The pattern in Chinese is simple:

更 + adj.

Note that this pattern is not simply a way of adding "-er" to an adjective. It's not a substitute for 比 comparisons. In each case, you're adding even more to an existing considerable amount, as in, "I'm already rich, but I want to be even richer."

Examples

• 上海 很 冷，但是 北京 更 冷。Shanghai is cold, but Beijing is colder.
• 吃 这么 多 糖，你 会 更 胖 的。(It is implied that you are already fat, but if you continue to eat so much candy, you will be even fatter.)If you eat this much candy, you will get fatter.
• 今天 已经 很 忙 了，但是 明天 会 更 忙。 (This example is quite clear.)Today is already really busy, but tomorrow will be even busier.
• 孩子 都 想要 更 多 的 玩具。 (It is implied that kids already have some toys, but they still want even more.)All kids want even more toys.
• 不要 太 高兴，我们 还 有 更 多 的 工作。 (It is implied that a lot of work has already been done but there is still even more work left.)Don't get too excited; we still have more work to do.
• 希望 你 能 找到 一 个 更 好 的 男朋友。 (It is implied that you broke up with a boyfriend, and hopefully you can find one even better.)I hope you can find an even better boyfriend.
• 我 想 租 一 个 更 便宜 的 房子。(It is implied that the apartment now is relatively cheap, but I want to buy an even cheaper one.)I want to rent a cheaper apartment.
• 明天，我 会 告诉 你 更 多 的 事情。Tomorrow I will tell you more things.
• 到 这里 以后，我 的 生活 更 方便 了。After arriving here, my life got more convenient.
• 如果 你 不 说，我 会 更 生气。If you don't talk, I will get more angry.

Structure with 比

While 更 is not a substitute for 比 (the classic comparison word), the two can be used together.

Structure

A 比 B + 更 + adj.

This expresses that "A is even more Adj. than B."

Examples

• 今天 比 昨天 更 热。 Today is even hotter than yesterday.
• 这里 比 那里 更 吵。 It's even noisier here than there.
• 这 个 女孩子 比 那 个 更 漂亮。 This girl is even prettier than that one.
• 啤酒 比 白酒 更 好喝。 Beer is better to drink than white wine.
• 汉语 比 法语 更 难。 Chinese is more difficult than French.
• 中国 的 东西 比 美国 的 更 便宜。 Chinese things are cheaper than American things.
• 现在 的 工作 比 以前 的 更 有意思。 The work now is more interesting than the work before.
• 她 现在 的 男朋友 比 以前 的 更 有钱。 Her current boyfriend has more money than her previous boyfriend.
• 这 个 酒吧 比 那 个 更 吵。 This bar is noisier than that one.
• 住 在 美国 比 住 在 英国 更 无聊。 It is more boring to live in America than in England.

See also

• Expressing "More and More" with "yue… yue…"
• The "zui" superlative
• Basic comparisons with "bi"

Sources and further reading

Books

• 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 231) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 3 (新实用汉语课本3) (pp. 15) →buy

Dictionaries

• 现代汉语词典（第5版） (pp. 468) →buy