Introduction
You already know 比 (bǐ) for comparing two things — 他比我高 (Tā bǐ wǒ gāo). And you know 得 (de) for saying how an action is done — 他跑得快 (Tā pǎo de kuài). Put the two together and you can compare how two people do the same thing: 他比我跑得快 (Tā bǐ wǒ pǎo de kuài).
Overview
Structure: A + 比 (bǐ) + B + Verb + 得 (de) + Adj.
| Pattern | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| A 比 B + V 得 + Adj. | 他比我跑得快。(Tā bǐ wǒ pǎo de kuài.) | He runs faster than me. |
| A + V 得 + 比 B + Adj. | 他跑得比我快。(Tā pǎo de bǐ wǒ kuài.) | He runs faster than me. |
| With an object | 他说汉语说得比我好。(Tā shuō Hànyǔ shuō de bǐ wǒ hǎo.) | He speaks Chinese better than I do. |
| How much more | 他比我跑得快多了。(Tā bǐ wǒ pǎo de kuài duō le.) | He runs a lot faster than me. |
| Negative | 我没有他跑得快。(Wǒ méiyǒu tā pǎo de kuài.) | I don't run as fast as he does. |
Two word orders, one meaning — and no 很 (hěn) anywhere:
- ✓ 他比我跑得快。(Tā bǐ wǒ pǎo de kuài.) ✓ 他跑得比我快。(Tā pǎo de bǐ wǒ kuài.)
- ❌ 他比我跑得很快。(Tā bǐ wǒ pǎo de hěn kuài.) — 很 (hěn) is barred inside a comparison, exactly as it is after plain 比 (bǐ).
- When the verb has an object, the verb is said twice: 他说汉语说得比我好。(Tā shuō Hànyǔ shuō de bǐ wǒ hǎo.)
- The everyday negative is 没有 (méiyǒu), not 不比 (bù bǐ): 我没有他跑得快。(Wǒ méiyǒu tā pǎo de kuài.)
Examples
他比我跑得快。
Tā bǐ wǒ pǎo de kuài.
He runs faster than I do.
我姐姐比我起得早。
Wǒ jiějie bǐ wǒ qǐ de zǎo.
My older sister gets up earlier than me.
你说得比他清楚。
Nǐ shuō de bǐ tā qīngchu.
You speak more clearly than he does.
他写汉字写得比我好。
Tā xiě Hànzì xiě de bǐ wǒ hǎo.
He writes characters better than I do.
今天我来得比昨天晚。
Jīntiān wǒ lái de bǐ zuótiān wǎn.
I arrived later today than yesterday.
我没有他吃得多。
Wǒ méiyǒu tā chī de duō.
I don't eat as much as he does.
Usage Notes
- The two orders are interchangeable. 比 (bǐ) before the verb is the more common in speech; 比 after 得 (de) puts the weight on the comparison itself.
- 很 (hěn) never survives a comparison. Where 他跑得很快 (Tā pǎo de hěn kuài) needs 很, 他比我跑得快 (Tā bǐ wǒ pǎo de kuài) drops it.
- To say by how much, add the amount after the adjective: 快多了 (kuài duō le)、快得多 (kuài de duō)、快一点儿 (kuài yìdiǎnr)、快五分钟 (kuài wǔ fēnzhōng).
- With an object, only the repeated verb takes 得 (de): ✓ 他说汉语说得比我好 ❌ 他说得汉语比我好 (Tā shuō de Hànyǔ bǐ wǒ hǎo).
- 不比 (bù bǐ) exists but means "no more … than", which is a contradiction, not a plain negative. Say 没有 (méiyǒu) instead.