What are the main comparison patterns in Chinese?

Chinese has several comparison patterns: A比B+adj (A is more adj than B), A有/没有B+adj (A is/isn't as adj as B), A跟B一样+adj (A is the same as B), A不如B (A is not as good as B), and 跟B相比 (compared with B). These patterns span HSK levels 2 through 5.

What is the difference between 不如 and 不比 in Chinese?

不如 (bùrú) means 'not as good as' and clearly states that A is inferior to B. 不比 (bù bǐ) means 'not more than' and simply negates that A exceeds B — A could be equal to or less than B. For example, 我的中文不如他的好 (my Chinese is definitely worse), while 我的中文不比他的差 (my Chinese is not worse than his — it could be the same or better).

How do I use 跟…相比 in a sentence?

跟…相比 (gēn...xiāngbǐ) means 'compared with' and is used to set up a comparison context. It typically comes at the beginning of a sentence or clause: 跟去年相比，今年的天气更热了 (Compared with last year, this year's weather is hotter). The structure is: 跟 + B + 相比, A + comparison statement.

HSK 4 Grammar

比较句 — Comparison Patterns

Master all 5 comparison patterns across HSK 2-5 with an interactive balance-scale tool, error correction, and comprehensive quizzes.

Patterns

HSK Levels

30+

Exercises

HSK Level Progression / 等级递进

HSK 2

2 patterns

HSK 3

+2 patterns

HSK 4

+2 new patterns

HSK 5

+1 pattern

HSK 2 — 2 Foundation Patterns

① A + 比 + B + adj → 他比我高。(He is taller than me.)
② A + 有/没有 + B + (这么/那么) + adj → 她没有你那么漂亮。(She is not as pretty as you.)

HSK 3 — 2 Additional Patterns

③ A + 跟 + B + 一样 + (adj) → 我的手机跟你的一样大。(My phone is as big as yours.)
④ A + 不比 + B + adj → 今天不比昨天冷。(Today is not colder than yesterday.)

HSK 4 — 2 New Patterns (This Page)

⑤ A + 不如 + B + (adj) → 我的中文不如他的好。(My Chinese is not as good as his.)
⑥ 跟 + B + 相比, A... → 跟去年相比，今年更热了。(Compared with last year, this year is hotter.)

HSK 5 — 1 Advanced Pattern

⑦ A + adj + B + 数量补语 → 他比我大三岁。(He is three years older than me.)

This pattern adds a specific quantity to express the exact degree of difference in a comparison.

Sentence Anatomy / 句子解剖

我的中文不如他的好

A (Subject)

Comparison Word

B (Standard)

Adjective

A + 比较词 + B + Adjective

HSK 2-3 Review — 4 Foundation Patterns (已学) ▶

HSK2-1 A + 比 + B + adj "A is more adj than B"

他比我高。

Tā bǐ wǒ gāo.

He is taller than me.

今天比昨天热。

Jīntiān bǐ zuótiān rè.

Today is hotter than yesterday.

HSK2-2 A + 有/没有 + B + (这么/那么) + adj "A is / isn't as adj as B"

她没有你那么漂亮。

Tā méiyǒu nǐ nàme piàoliang.

She is not as pretty as you.

这本书有那本书那么有意思吗？

Zhè běn shū yǒu nà běn shū nàme yǒu yìsi ma?

Is this book as interesting as that one?

HSK3-1 A + 跟 + B + 一样 + (adj) "A is the same as B"

我的手机跟你的一样大。

Wǒ de shǒujī gēn nǐ de yīyàng dà.

My phone is as big as yours.

他跟他爸爸一样高。

Tā gēn tā bàba yīyàng gāo.

He is as tall as his father.

HSK3-2 A + 不比 + B + adj "A is not more adj than B"

今天不比昨天冷。

Jīntiān bù bǐ zuótiān lěng.

Today is not colder than yesterday (could be the same or warmer).

我的成绩不比他的差。

Wǒ de chéngjì bù bǐ tā de chà.

My grades are not worse than his (could be the same or better).

HSK 4 New Patterns / HSK4 新句型

Pattern 5 A + 不如 + B (+ adj) "not as good as"

我的中文不如他的好。

Wǒ de zhōngwén bùrú tā de hǎo.

My Chinese is not as good as his.

坐公交车不如坐地铁方便。

Zuò gōngjiāo chē bùrú zuò dìtiě fāngbiàn.

Taking the bus is not as convenient as taking the subway.

这家饭馆不如那家好吃。

Zhè jiā fànguǎn bùrú nà jiā hǎochī.

This restaurant is not as tasty as that one.

✗ 我的中文不如比他的好。

✓ 我的中文不如他的好。

不如 already contains the comparison meaning. Do not add 比 after 不如 — they are separate comparison words and cannot be combined.

Pattern 6 跟 + B + 相比, A... "compared with"

跟去年相比，今年的天气更热了。

Gēn qùnián xiāngbǐ, jīnnián de tiānqì gèng rè le.

Compared with last year, this year's weather is hotter.

跟大城市相比，小城市的生活更安静。

Gēn dà chéngshì xiāngbǐ, xiǎo chéngshì de shēnghuó gèng ānjìng.

Compared with big cities, life in small cities is quieter.

跟坐飞机相比，坐火车更便宜。

Gēn zuò fēijī xiāngbǐ, zuò huǒchē gèng piányi.

Compared with flying, taking the train is cheaper.

✗ 跟去年相比今年更热。

✓ 跟去年相比，今年的天气更热了。

After 跟...相比, use a comma to separate the comparison context from the main clause. Be specific about what is being compared (天气, not just 今年), and use 了 to indicate change of state.

Key Distinction: 不如 vs 不比

不如 = "not as good as" — A is definitely inferior to B.
我的中文不如他的好。= My Chinese is definitely worse than his.

不比 = "not more than" — A is not necessarily better than B (could be equal or less).
我的中文不比他的差。= My Chinese is not worse than his (it might be the same or better).

不如 makes a clear judgment; 不比 simply negates a comparison without committing to a direction.

Visual Balance / 比较天平

Select A, B, a comparison type, and an adjective. The scale tilts to show the relationship, and a sentence is generated below.

A (Subject)

Comparison Type

B (Standard)

Adjective 形容词

我

你

Error Spotting / 纠错练习

Is this comparison sentence correct or incorrect? Judge each sentence.

Comprehensive Quiz / 综合测试 (12 questions)

他我高。

A比B+adj: 他比我高 = He is taller than me. 比 introduces a direct comparison where A exceeds B.

坐公交车坐地铁方便。

A不如B+adj: Taking the bus is not as convenient as the subway. 不如 means A falls short of B.

我的手机你的一样大。

A跟B一样+adj: My phone is as big as yours. 跟...一样 expresses equality between A and B.

Which sentence correctly uses 不如?

A不如B+adj: 这个办法不如那个好 = This method is not as good as that one. 不如 cannot be combined with 比, and requires both A and B.

去年相比，今年的工资更高了。

跟+B+相比 structure: 跟去年相比，今年的工资更高了 = Compared with last year, this year's salary is higher.

What does 不比 imply that 不如 does not?

不比 simply negates "A is more than B", meaning A could be equal or less. 不如 definitively states A is inferior to B. That ambiguity (A might be equal) is what distinguishes 不比.

她没有你漂亮。

A没有B+那么+adj: 她没有你那么漂亮 = She is not as pretty as you. 那么 (or 这么) is commonly used with 没有 in comparisons.

Which sentence is INCORRECT?

In 比 sentences, you cannot use 很 before the adjective. Say 他比我高 or 他比我高得多, but never 他比我很高. The 比 structure itself implies a degree difference.

跟坐飞机相比，坐火车便宜。

In 跟...相比 sentences, use 更 (even more) to express the comparison result, not 很 (very) or 比. The comparison context is already set by 跟...相比.

今天不比昨天冷。This means:

不比 negates the comparison without specifying the exact relationship. 今天不比昨天冷 means today is not colder — it could be the same temperature or warmer.

他跟他爸爸一样。

After 一样, use a bare adjective without 很 or 更. 他跟他爸爸一样高 = He is as tall as his father. Degree adverbs are not used with 一样+adj.

Choose the correct translation: "This restaurant is not as tasty as that one."

"Not as tasty as" = A is definitively inferior, which matches 不如. 比 would mean "more than", 不比 would be ambiguous, and 一样 would mean "the same".

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