Traditional Chinese - Comparing Options

Lesson 42 of 152

A bright Taiwan café scene with two menus side by side, showing a Traditional Chinese Taiwan Mandarin lesson about comparing options. A learner is deciding which drink is better, similar, or different.

Goal: Talk about what’s better, similar, different, or just 差不多.

Free traditional Chinese lessons with Taiwan Mandarin audio and speaking practice.

Welcome back! Today we’re comparing things without starting an argument—very useful for food, cafés, phones, classes, and travel plans.

By the end, you’ll have a nice little comparison toolbox. Yak Yacker says: compare carefully, snack confidently.

Level B1: In this lesson, you’ll practice natural Taiwan Mandarin phrases for comparing two things: better, more, less, the same, similar, different, and “about the same.” You’ll also learn how to ask open comparison questions like ___跟___比起來怎麼樣？ (___ gēn ___ bǐ qǐlái zěnmeyàng?) and answer with phrases like 跟___比起來，___比較___。 (Gēn ___ bǐ qǐlái, ___ bǐjiào ___.) These are perfect for real conversations when you’re choosing between restaurants, products, neighborhoods, or weekend plans.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Ask which of two options is better using ___跟___哪個比較好？ (___ gēn ___ nǎ ge bǐjiào hǎo?)
  • Say one option is better with ___比___好。 (___ bǐ ___ hǎo.)
  • Describe similarity and difference with ___跟___很像。 (___ gēn ___ hěn xiàng.) and ___跟___不一樣。 (___ gēn ___ bù yíyàng.)
  • Compare degree using ___比___更___。 (___ bǐ ___ gèng ___.) and ___沒有___那麼___。 (___ méiyǒu ___ nàme ___.)
  • At B1, make more flexible comparison comments about quantity, quality, and general impressions.
Two friends in Taiwan look at restaurant signs written in Traditional Chinese while practicing Taiwan Mandarin comparison phrases. The scene highlights choosing between options in daily life.

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 simple comparison when you prefer one option over another.

Tip: In Chinese, the thing being compared comes before 比 (bǐ), and the reference comes after it: A 比 B 好 (A bǐ B hǎo).

這家店比那家店好。

Zhè jiā diàn bǐ nà jiā diàn hǎo.

This shop is better than that shop.
坐捷運比坐公車好。

Zuò Jiéyùn bǐ zuò gōngchē hǎo.

Taking the MRT is better than taking the bus.

___跟___哪個比較好？

___ gēn ___ nǎ ge bǐjiào hǎo?

Which is better, ___ or ___?

Meaning: Which is better, ___ or ___?

When to use: Use this to ask someone to choose between two options. In Taiwan, 跟 (gēn) is very natural for connecting the two things.

台北跟台中哪個比較好？

Táiběi gēn Táizhōng nǎ ge bǐjiào hǎo?

Which is better, Taipei or Taichung?
這支手機跟那支手機哪個比較好？

Zhè zhī shǒujī gēn nà zhī shǒujī nǎ ge bǐjiào hǎo?

Which phone is better, this one or that one?

___跟___很像。

___ gēn ___ hěn xiàng.

___ is similar to ___.

Meaning: ___ is similar to ___.

When to use: Use this when two things look, feel, taste, or seem alike.

這兩家餐廳很像。

Zhè liǎng jiā cāntīng hěn xiàng.

These two restaurants are similar.
這個味道跟我家附近的很像。

Zhège wèidào gēn wǒ jiā fùjìn de hěn xiàng.

This flavor is similar to the one near my home.

___跟___不一樣。

___ gēn ___ bù yíyàng.

___ is different from ___.

Meaning: ___ is different from ___.

When to use: Use this to point out that two things are not the same.

台灣的早餐跟美國的早餐不一樣。

Táiwān de zǎocān gēn Měiguó de zǎocān bù yíyàng.

Taiwanese breakfast is different from American breakfast.
這個方案跟那個方案不一樣。

Zhège fāng’àn gēn nàge fāng’àn bù yíyàng.

This plan is different from that plan.

___跟___有什麼差別？

___ gēn ___ yǒu shénme chābié?

What's the difference between ___ and ___?

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

When to use: Use this when you want someone to explain how two things differ.

這兩種票有什麼差別？

Zhè liǎng zhǒng piào yǒu shénme chābié?

What’s the difference between these two types of tickets?
這個課跟那個課有什麼差別？

Zhège kè gēn nàge kè yǒu shénme chābié?

What’s the difference between this class and that class?

___比___更___。

___ bǐ ___ gèng ___.

___ is more ___ than ___.

Meaning: ___ is more ___ than ___.

When to use: Use this to compare degree with an adjective, like faster, cheaper, quieter, or more convenient.

Tip: Put the adjective at the end: A 比 B 更 便宜 (A bǐ B gèng piányí), not “A more cheap than B.”

這家店比那家店更便宜。

Zhè jiā diàn bǐ nà jiā diàn gèng piányí.

This shop is even cheaper than that shop.
台中比台北更安靜。

Táizhōng bǐ Táiběi gèng ānjìng.

Taichung is quieter than Taipei.

___沒有___那麼___。

___ méiyǒu ___ nàme ___.

___ is less ___ than ___.

Meaning: ___ is less ___ than ___.

When to use: Use this natural pattern when something has a lower degree of a quality.

Tip: For “less,” 沒有___那麼___ (méiyǒu ___ nàme ___) often sounds more natural than directly translating “more not.”

這家店沒有那家店那麼貴。

Zhè jiā diàn méiyǒu nà jiā diàn nàme guì.

This shop is not as expensive as that shop.
今天沒有昨天那麼熱。

Jīntiān méiyǒu zuótiān nàme rè.

Today is not as hot as yesterday.

___跟___一樣___。

___ gēn ___ yíyàng ___.

___ is as ___ as ___.

Meaning: ___ is as ___ as ___.

When to use: Use this when two things are equal in some quality or degree.

Tip: Remember to add the adjective after 一樣 (yíyàng): 一樣好喝 (yíyàng hǎohē), 一樣忙 (yíyàng máng).

這杯咖啡跟那杯一樣好喝。

Zhè bēi kāfēi gēn nà bēi yíyàng hǎohē.

This coffee is as tasty as that one.
Anna跟David一樣忙。

Anna gēn David yíyàng máng.

Anna is as busy as David.

差不多

Chàbuduō.

They're about the same.

Meaning: They’re about the same.

When to use: Use this short answer when the difference is small or not important.

兩家都可以，差不多。

Liǎng jiā dōu kěyǐ, chàbuduō.

Either place is fine; they’re about the same.
這兩個價錢差不多。

Zhè liǎng ge jiàqián chàbuduō.

These two prices are about the same.

___跟___比起來怎麼樣？

___ gēn ___ bǐ qǐlái zěnmeyàng?

How does ___ compare with ___?

Meaning: How does ___ compare with ___?

When to use: Use this open question when you want a general comparison, not just “which is better.”

台南跟台北比起來怎麼樣？

Táinán gēn Táiběi bǐ qǐlái zěnmeyàng?

How does Tainan compare with Taipei?
這個 app 跟那個 app 比起來怎麼樣？

Zhège app gēn nàge app bǐ qǐlái zěnmeyàng?

How does this app compare with that app?

跟___比起來，___比較___。

Gēn ___ bǐ qǐlái, ___ bǐjiào ___.

Compared with ___, ___ is ___.

Meaning: Compared with ___, ___ is ___.

When to use: Use this to start from a reference point and then give your comparison.

跟台北比起來，台南比較慢。

Gēn Táiběi bǐ qǐlái, Táinán bǐjiào màn.

Compared with Taipei, Tainan is slower-paced.
跟那家店比起來，這家比較安靜。

Gēn nà jiā diàn bǐ qǐlái, zhè jiā bǐjiào ānjìng.

Compared with that shop, this one is quieter.

___的___比___多。

___ de ___ bǐ ___ duō.

___ has more ___ than ___.

Meaning: ___ has more ___ than ___.

When to use: Use this for comparing quantity, like people, choices, seats, stations, or features.

這家店的位子比那家多。

Zhè jiā diàn de wèizi bǐ nà jiā duō.

This shop has more seats than that one.
這個方案的功能比那個多。

Zhège fāng’àn de gōngnéng bǐ nàge duō.

This plan has more features than that one.

___的___比___少。

___ de ___ bǐ ___ shǎo.

___ has fewer ___ than ___.

Meaning: ___ has fewer ___ than ___.

When to use: Use this when comparing a smaller number or amount.

這家店的人比那家少。

Zhè jiā diàn de rén bǐ nà jiā shǎo.

This shop has fewer people than that one.
這個班的學生比那個班少。

Zhège bān de xuéshēng bǐ nàge bān shǎo.

This class has fewer students than that class.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna and David are choosing a café to work in for the afternoon.

Anna and David compare two cafés in a lively Taiwan street scene, using Traditional Chinese Taiwan Mandarin phrases for better, different, and about the same.

Which café does David think is better for working?

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

新咖啡店跟老咖啡店哪個比較好？

Xīn kāfēi diàn gēn lǎo kāfēi diàn nǎ ge bǐjiào hǎo?

Which is better, the new café or the old café?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

我覺得新咖啡店比老咖啡店好。

Wǒ juéde xīn kāfēi diàn bǐ lǎo kāfēi diàn hǎo.

I think the new café is better than the old café.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

可是它們的菜單很像。

Kěshì tāmen de càidān hěn xiàng.

But their menus are similar.

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

對，不過跟老咖啡店比起來，新咖啡店比較安靜。

Duì, búguò gēn lǎo kāfēi diàn bǐ qǐlái, xīn kāfēi diàn bǐjiào ānjìng.

Right, but compared with the old café, the new café is quieter.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

那價錢呢？有什麼差別？

Nà jiàqián ne? Yǒu shénme chābié?

What about the prices? What’s the difference?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

差不多，可是新咖啡店的位子比老咖啡店多。

Chàbuduō, kěshì xīn kāfēi diàn de wèizi bǐ lǎo kāfēi diàn duō.

They’re about the same, but the new café has more seats than the old café.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

How do you ask, “Which is better, Taipei or Taichung?”

Which sentence means “This shop is less expensive than that shop” in a natural way?

Which phrase means “They’re about the same”?

Which sentence compares quantity and means “This class has fewer students than that class”?

Which is better, this phone or that phone?

我想買手機，這支手機跟那支手機___

Today is not as hot as yesterday.

看天氣，昨天三十八度，今天三十二度；今天沒有昨天___

Compared with that shop, this one is quieter.

跟那家店比起來，這家＿＿＿

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:

___跟___哪個比較好？

___ gēn ___ nǎ ge bǐjiào 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___不一樣。

___ gēn ___ bù yíyàng.

___ is different from ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___跟___有什麼差別？

___ gēn ___ yǒu shénme chābié?

What’s the difference between ___ and ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

___比___更___。

___ bǐ ___ gèng ___.

___ is more ___ than ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___沒有___那麼___。

___ méiyǒu ___ nàme ___.

___ is less ___ than ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___跟___一樣___。

___ gēn ___ yíyàng ___.

___ is as ___ as ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

差不多

Chàbuduō.

They’re about the same.

Say this phrase out loud:

___跟___比起來怎麼樣？

___ gēn ___ bǐ qǐlái zěnmeyàng?

How does ___ compare with ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

跟___比起來，___比較___。

Gēn ___ bǐ qǐlái, ___ bǐjiào ___.

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 ___.