Chinese Multimedia

Grammar Notes for lesson 17

Comparatives

The following constructions are used to compare one item or action with another.
1. The 比construction is used to indicate whether A is better or worse than B.
　

A

(不) 比

B

(stative) verb + quantity

他 tā

比      bǐ

我 wǒ

大          两岁 dà liǎng suì

He is (two years) older than me.
　

A

(不) 比

B

complement of degree + 多 了

他 tā

比      bǐ

我 wǒ

吃 得 多                             多 了 chī de duō duō le

He eats (much) more than I do.

2. The …跟…一 样 gēn...yíyàng construction indicates that A is in the same state as B.
　

A

(不) 跟

B

(不) 一 样 stative verb

他 tā

跟     gēn

我 wǒ

一 样   大    yíyàng dà

He and I are the same age.
　

A

(不) 跟

B

complement of degree (不) 一 样

他 tā

跟     gēn

我 wǒ

吃 得                          一   样 多 chī de yíyàng duō

He and I eat the same amount.
　

3. The 有 construction implies that A is as [stative verb] as B.
　

A

(没) 有

B

stative verb

他 tā

有    yǒu

我   wǒ

大                  吗? dà ma

s he as old as me?
　

A

(没) 有

B

complement of degree

他 tā

有    yǒu

我 wǒ

吃 得 多                             吗? chī de duō ma

Does he eat as much as I do?

是 … 的 shì ... de construction

The 是 … 的 shì ... de construction is used to emphasise the state or situation of the noun. The emphasised statement is placed between 是 shì and 的 de, as in 我 的 书 是 新 的 wǒ de shū shì xīn de my book is the new one.  (See lesson 7)