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Mythic Mandarin

Taller than me: 比

HSK 2 Unit 3: Comparing things · Lesson 1 of 5 · About 16 minutes

Preview version — Chinese review in progress.

Your mission: By the end of this lesson, you can compare two people or things with 比, say much more with 多了, and say even more with 更.

Warm-up: do you remember?

Two quick questions from earlier lessons. Recalling before you learn makes the new material stick.

  1. Meaning

    What does 才 mean?

    1. only then, not until
    2. computer
    3. fun
    Show the answer

    Answer: A, only then, not until.

    才 (cái) means only then, not until.

  2. Characters

    Which word means “hour”?

    1. 小时
    2. 有名
    3. 告诉
    Show the answer

    Answer: A, 小时.

    “hour” is 小时 (xiǎoshí).

New words

  • 比bǐthan, compared with
  • 更gèngeven more
  • 高gāotall, high
  • 矮ǎishort (in height)
  • 胖pàngfat, plump
  • 瘦shòuthin

A 比 B + adjective

To compare, say A 比 (bǐ) B + adjective. Do not add 很: the comparison already says more.

  • 他比我高。

    Tā bǐ wǒ gāo.

    He's taller than me.

  • 北京比上海冷。

    Běijīng bǐ Shànghǎi lěng.

    Beijing is colder than Shanghai.

  • Not: 他比我很高。

    But: 他比我高。 Tā bǐ wǒ gāo.

    No 很 in a 比 sentence.

To say how much more, put it after the adjective: 高多了, much taller; 高一点儿, a bit taller. 更 (gèng) before the adjective is even more.

  • 我哥哥比我高多了。

    Wǒ gēge bǐ wǒ gāo duō le.

    My older brother is much taller than me.

  • 我弟弟更高。

    Wǒ dìdi gèng gāo.

    My younger brother is even taller.

For not as … as, use 没有: 我没有他高, I'm not as tall as him.

  • 我没有哥哥高。

    Wǒ méiyǒu gēge gāo.

    I'm not as tall as my older brother.

Characters

  • 胖 = 月

Open a character to see how it is written, stroke by stroke, with its meanings and words.

Who is taller?

Liu Fang looks at Zhang Wei's family photo.

Listen first

Play the whole conversation and answer the questions before you open the transcript.

  1. Listening

    Listen first. Who is taller, Zhang Wei or his older brother?

    1. Zhang Wei
    2. his older brother
    3. they are the same
    Show the answer

    Answer: B, his older brother.

    他比我高: the brother is taller.

  2. Listening

    How tall is the younger brother?

    1. 1.70 m
    2. 1.90 m
    3. 1.80 m
    Show the answer

    Answer: B, 1.90 m.

    他一米九: 1.90 m. 米 is also metre.

Show the transcript
Pinyin
Translation

  1. 刘芳

    这Zhè是shì你nǐ哥哥gēge吗ma？他Tā比bǐ你nǐ高gāo！

    Is this your older brother? He's taller than you!

  2. 张伟

    对Duì，他tā比bǐ我wǒ高gāo，也yě比bǐ我wǒ胖pàng。

    Yes, he's taller than me, and heavier too.

  3. 刘芳

    你Nǐ弟弟dìdi呢ne？

    And your younger brother?

  4. 张伟

    我Wǒ弟弟dìdi更gèng高gāo，他tā一yì米mǐ九jiǔ。

    My younger brother is even taller. He's one metre ninety.

  5. 刘芳

    一Yì米mǐ九jiǔ！他Tā比bǐ你nǐ高gāo多duō了le。

    One metre ninety! He's much taller than you.

  6. 张伟

    对Duì，可是kěshì他tā比bǐ我wǒ瘦shòu。

    Yes, but he's thinner than me.

Speak: listen, record, compare

Listen to each model, record yourself, then play both and compare: the rhythm, the tones, the vowels. No automatic score: your ear is the judge.

  • 对，他比我高，也比我胖。

    Duì, tā bǐ wǒ gāo, yě bǐ wǒ pàng.

    Yes, he's taller than me, and heavier too.

  • 对，可是他比我瘦。

    Duì, kěshì tā bǐ wǒ shòu.

    Yes, but he's thinner than me.

  • 我弟弟更高，他一米九。

    Wǒ dìdi gèng gāo, tā yì mǐ jiǔ.

    My younger brother is even taller. He's one metre ninety.

Practice

  1. Meaning

    What does 比 mean?

    1. than, compared with
    2. shop
    3. afternoon
    Show the answer

    Answer: A, than, compared with.

    比 (bǐ) means than, compared with.

  2. Characters

    Which word means “even more”?

    1. 更
    2. 才
    3. 矮
    Show the answer

    Answer: A, 更.

    “even more” is 更 (gèng).

  3. Pinyin

    How do you read 高 (tall, high)?

    1. gáo
    2. gǎo
    3. gāo
    Show the answer

    Answer: C, gāo.

    高 is read gāo. Check the tone mark on every syllable.

  4. Listening

    Listen. What does the word mean?

    Cannot listen? Read it instead

    矮 ǎi

    1. short (in height)
    2. milk
    3. grandma (father's mother)
    Show the answer

    Answer: A, short (in height).

    You heard 矮 (ǎi): short (in height).

  5. Pinyin

    Type the pinyin of 胖 (fat, plump). Tone marks or tone numbers are welcome.

    Show the answer

    Answer: pàng

    胖 is pàng in pinyin.

  6. Grammar

    Which sentence means Shanghai is hotter than Beijing?

    1. 上海比北京很热。
    2. 上海比北京热。
    3. 北京比上海热。
    Show the answer

    Answer: B, 上海比北京热。.

    上海比北京热。 No 很 with 比.

  7. Fill the gap

    Complete: My brother is much taller than me.

    我哥哥比我高＿＿。

    1. 多了
    2. 很
    3. 更
    Show the answer

    Answer: A, 多了.

    我哥哥比我高多了。 多了 after the adjective: much more.

  8. In context

    Your friend is 1.80 m and you are 1.70 m. What do you say?

    1. 你比我高。
    2. 我比你高。
    3. 你没有我高。
    Show the answer

    Answer: A, 你比我高。.

    你比我高。: 你比我高: you're taller than me.

  9. Word order

    Put the words in order: I'm not as tall as him.

    • 高
    • 我
    • 他
    • 没有
    Show the answer

    我没有他高 Wǒ méiyǒu tā gāo.

    I'm not as tall as him.

    我没有他高。 A 没有 B + adjective.

Compare your family

Compare three people you know, out loud, using 比, 更 and 没有.

  1. …比…高 (or 矮, 胖, 瘦)。
  2. …更…。
  3. 我没有…。

Sentence frames

  • ＿＿比＿＿＿＿。

    ＿＿ bǐ ＿＿.

    ... is more ... than ...

Record your attempt (three and a half minutes at most) and listen back:

Review and finish

Can you do this? If a line feels shaky, go back to that part before you move on.

  • I compare with A 比 B + adjective, without 很.
  • I can say 多了, 一点儿 and 更.
  • I say not as … as with 没有.

Review works best spaced out: answer these exercises again tomorrow, then after a few days. Your progress is saved in this browser.

Completing records that you finished the lesson. Mastery is separate: it grows as reviews bring the exercises back and you answer them correctly.

Next lesson: The same or different: 跟…一样