Simplified Chinese - Comparisons

Lesson 42 of 156

Two people comparing smartphones in Simplified Chinese: a lively scene about comparisons and choosing between options.

Goal: Compare options, ask which is better, and say how things are similar or different

Free Simplified Chinese lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Ready to compare stuff in Chinese? This short lesson focuses on natural, spoken comparison patterns you can use right away. Have fun weighing pros and cons — like a mini debate in Mandarin.

Level B1: In this lesson you'll practice common comparison frames such as “A比B好 (A bǐ B hǎo)” and questions like “___和___，哪个更好？ (___ hé ___, nǎge gèng hǎo?)”. We'll listen, repeat, and use these patterns to say things are similar, different, more, less, or equal. This CEFR-aligned lesson (lesson 42) is practical: compare phones, cities, restaurants, or ideas—quick, natural language for real decisions.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Use simple comparisons like “A比B好 (A bǐ B hǎo)” to say one option is better.
  • Ask for comparisons: “___和___，哪个更好？ (___ hé ___, nǎge gèng hǎo?)”
  • Describe similarity and difference with “跟…很像 (gēn… hěn xiàng)” and “跟…不一样 (gēn… bù yíyàng)”.
  • Make degree comparisons: “比…更… (bǐ… gèng…)” and “没有…那么… (méiyǒu… nàme…)”.
A friendly shop scene where customers compare phones and restaurants using Simplified Chinese comparison phrases.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

___比___好。

___ bǐ ___ hǎo.

___ is better than ___.

Meaning: ___ is better than ___.

When to use: Use this to state simply that one thing is better than another.

Tip: Beginner error: swapping the two items changes the meaning. A比B好 ≠ B比A好.

我觉得这个比那个好。

Wǒ juéde zhège bǐ nàge hǎo.

I think this is better than that.
她的中文比我的好。

Tā de Zhōngwén bǐ wǒ de hǎo.

Her Chinese is better than mine.

___和___，哪个更好？

___ hé ___, nǎ ge gèng hǎo?

Which is better, ___ or ___?

Meaning: Which is better, ___ or ___?

When to use: Ask this when you want someone to choose or give an opinion.

咖啡和茶，哪个更好？

Kāfēi hé chá, nǎge gèng hǎo?

Which is better, coffee or tea?
留学和工作，哪个更好？

Liúxué hé gōngzuò, nǎge gèng hǎo?

Which is better, studying abroad or working?

___跟___很像。

___ gēn ___ hěn xiàng.

___ is similar to ___.

Meaning: ___ is similar to ___.

When to use: Say this when two things seem alike in appearance, taste, or function.

这车跟那车很像。

Zhè chē gēn nà chē hěn xiàng.

This car is very similar to that car.
这个菜跟妈妈做的很像。

Zhège cài gēn māma zuò de hěn xiàng.

This dish is similar to what my mother makes.

___跟___不一样。

___ gēn ___ bù yíyàng.

___ is different from ___.

Meaning: ___ is different from ___.

When to use: Use this to point out a clear difference between two things.

我的想法跟你不一样。

Wǒ de xiǎngfǎ gēn nǐ bù yíyàng.

My idea is different from yours.
这两个手机跟别的品牌不一样。

Zhè liǎng gè shǒujī gēn bié de pǐnpái bù yíyàng.

These two phones are different from other brands.

___和___有什么区别？

___ hé ___ yǒu shénme qūbié?

What's the difference between ___ and ___?

Meaning: What’s the difference between ___ and ___?

When to use: Ask when you want specific differences (features, price, function).

公共汽车和地铁有什么区别？

Gōnggòng qìchē hé dìtiě yǒu shénme qūbié?

What's the difference between buses and the subway?
网上购物和实体店有什么区别？

Wǎngshàng gòuwù hé shítǐ diàn yǒu shénme qūbié?

What's the difference between online shopping and physical stores?

___比___更___。

___ bǐ ___ gèng ___.

___ is more ___ than ___.

Meaning: ___ is more ___ than ___.

When to use: Use this to compare degree: A比B更+adjective.

Tip: Don't forget gèng (更) when you want 'more' — omitting it can change emphasis.

这个比那个更便宜。

Zhège bǐ nàge gèng piányi.

This one is cheaper than that one.
夏天比春天更热。

Xiàtiān bǐ chūntiān gèng rè.

Summer is hotter than spring.

___没有___那么___。

___ méiyǒu ___ nàme ___.

___ is less ___ than ___.

Meaning: ___ is less ___ than ___.

When to use: Use this pattern for a lower degree: A没有B那么+adjective.

Tip: Don’t use 没有 directly before the adjective; use 没有…那么 + adjective for correct structure.

这家店没有那家那么方便。

Zhè jiā diàn méiyǒu nà jiā nàme fāngbiàn.

This shop is not as convenient as that one.
我的中文没有他的那么流利。

Wǒ de Zhōngwén méiyǒu tā de nàme liúlì.

My Chinese isn't as fluent as his.

___和___一样___。

___ hé ___ yíyàng ___.

___ is as ___ as ___.

Meaning: ___ is as ___ as ___.

When to use: Say two things are equal in quality or degree: A和B一样+adjective.

他的工资和我的一样高。

Tā de gōngzī hé wǒ de yíyàng gāo.

His salary is as high as mine.
这个版本和旧版本一样好。

Zhège bǎnběn hé jiù bǎnběn yíyàng hǎo.

This version is as good as the old version.

它们差不多

Tāmen chàbuduō.

They're about the same.

Meaning: They’re about the same.

When to use: Use this casual phrase to say there’s no important difference.

这两个手机价格差不多。

Zhè liǎng gè shǒujī jiàgé chàbuduō.

These two phones cost about the same.
他们的口音差不多。

Tāmen de kǒuyīn chàbuduō.

Their accents are about the same.

___和___比怎么样？

___ hé ___ bǐ zěnmeyàng?

How does ___ compare with ___?

Meaning: How does ___ compare with ___?

When to use: A concise spoken way to ask for a general comparison.

北京和上海比怎么样？

Běijīng hé Shànghǎi bǐ zěnmeyàng?

How do Beijing and Shanghai compare?
咖啡和奶茶比怎么样？

Kāfēi hé nǎichá bǐ zěnmeyàng?

How does coffee compare with milk tea?

跟___比，___更___。

Gēn ___ bǐ, ___ gèng ___.

Compared with ___, ___ is ___.

Meaning: Compared with ___, ___ is ___.

When to use: Introduce a comparison from one reference point: 跟X比，Y更Z.

跟旧款比，新款更轻。

Gēn jiù kuǎn bǐ, xīn kuǎn gèng qīng.

Compared with the old model, the new one is lighter.
跟她比，我更紧张。

Gēn tā bǐ, wǒ gèng jǐnzhāng.

Compared with her, I'm more nervous.

___的___比___多。

___ de ___ bǐ ___ duō.

___ has more ___ than ___.

Meaning: ___ has more ___ than ___.

When to use: Compare counts or features: ‘X 的 Y 比 Z 多’ for seats, rooms, options.

这家酒店的房间比那家多。

Zhè jiā jiǔdiàn de fángjiān bǐ nà jiā duō.

This hotel has more rooms than that one.
这个手机的功能比那个多。

Zhège shǒujī de gōngnéng bǐ nàge duō.

This phone has more features than that one.

___的___比___少。

___ de ___ bǐ ___ shǎo.

___ has fewer ___ than ___.

Meaning: ___ has fewer ___ than ___.

When to use: Use for comparing smaller counts: ‘X 的 Y 比 Z 少’.

这辆车的座位比那辆少。

Zhè liàng chē de zuòwèi bǐ nà liàng shǎo.

This car has fewer seats than that one.
这间店的选择比超市少。

Zhè jiān diàn de xuǎnzé bǐ chāoshì shǎo.

This store has fewer choices than the supermarket.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Choosing a phone and a city for a move

Anna and David chatting in a café comparing cities and phones in Chinese, using phrases like ‘哪个更好？’ and ‘它们差不多。’.

What two big things are Anna and David comparing?

Portrait of Anna in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

我们搬家是在北京和上海之间，哪个更好？

Wǒmen bānjiā shì zài Běijīng hé Shànghǎi zhījiān, nǎge gèng hǎo?

We're moving between Beijing and Shanghai — which is better?

Portrait of David in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

David

这两个城市差不多，但是生活成本跟气候不一样。

Zhè liǎng gè chéngshì chàbuduō, dànshì shēnghuó chéngběn gēn qìhòu bù yíyàng.

They're about the same, but cost of living and climate are different.

Portrait of Anna in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

工作机会和生活质量，哪个更重要？

Gōngzuò jīhuì hé shēnghuó zhìliàng, nǎge gèng zhòngyào?

Which is more important, job opportunities or quality of life?

Portrait of David in a Simplified Chinese lesson dialogue

David

跟小城市比，这些大城市的机会更多。我觉得工作机会比生活质量更重要一点。

Gēn xiǎo chéngshì bǐ, zhèxiē dà chéngshì de jīhuì gèng duō. Wǒ juéde gōngzuò jīhuì bǐ shēnghuó zhìliàng gèng zhòngyào yìdiǎn.

Compared with smaller cities, big cities have more opportunities. I think job opportunities are a bit more important than quality of life.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which Chinese sentence means “They’re about the same.”?

Which sentence is a direct question asking which option is better?

Which sentence means 'A is not as + adjective + as B'?

Which pattern introduces a comparison from one reference point (e.g., 'Compared with X, Y is Z')?

Which is better?

在夜景拍照方面，iPhone和华为，___？

They're about the same.

我尝了两种咖啡，味道很接近，颜色有点不一样，个人感觉___。

Compared with last year, commuting this year is more convenient.

跟去年比，今年的通勤___，我现在每天只要半小时。

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

___比___好。

___ bǐ ___ hǎo.

___ is better than ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___和___，哪个更好？

___ hé ___, nǎ ge gèng hǎo?

Which is better, ___ or ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

___跟___很像。

___ gēn ___ hěn xiàng.

___ is similar to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___跟___不一样。

___ gēn ___ bù yíyàng.

___ is different from ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___和___有什么区别？

___ hé ___ yǒu shénme qūbié?

What’s the difference between ___ and ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

___比___更___。

___ bǐ ___ gèng ___.

___ is more ___ than ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___没有___那么___。

___ méiyǒu ___ nàme ___.

___ is less ___ than ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___和___一样___。

___ hé ___ yíyàng ___.

___ is as ___ as ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

它们差不多

Tāmen chàbuduō.

They’re about the same.

Say this phrase out loud:

___和___比怎么样？

___ hé ___ bǐ zěnmeyàng?

How does ___ compare with ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

跟___比，___更___。

Gēn ___ bǐ, ___ gèng ___.

Compared with ___, ___ is ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___的___比___多。

___ de ___ bǐ ___ duō.

___ has more ___ than ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___的___比___少。

___ de ___ bǐ ___ shǎo.

___ has fewer ___ than ___.