Traditional Chinese - Lesson 43 of 152: Comparing Options

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

___沒有___那麼___。

___ méiyǒu ___ nàme ___.

___ is not as ___ as ___.

Meaning: ___沒有___那麼___。 (___ méiyǒu ___ nàme ___.) means “___ is not as ___ as ___.”

When to use: Use it when one option does not reach the same level as another in speed, price, convenience, difficulty, or another quality.

Tip: Do not add 比 (bǐ) in this pattern. Say A 沒有 B 那麼… (A méiyǒu B nàme…), not A 沒有比 B 那麼….

台鐵沒有高鐵那麼快。

Tái tiě méiyǒu gāo tiě nàme kuài.

The regular train is not as fast as the high-speed rail.

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.

___幾乎跟___一樣___。

___ jīhū gēn ___ yíyàng ___.

___ is almost as ___ as ___.

Meaning: ___幾乎跟___一樣___。 (___ jīhū gēn ___ yíyàng ___.) means “___ is almost as ___ as ___.”

When to use: Use it when two things are very close in degree, even if they are not exactly equal.

Tip: Keep 一樣 (yíyàng) before the adjective: 幾乎跟___一樣快 (jīhū gēn ___ yíyàng kuài), not 幾乎跟___快一樣.

這支手機幾乎跟那支一樣輕。

Zhè zhī shǒujī jīhū gēn nà zhī yíyàng qīng.

This phone is almost as light as that one.

這家咖啡店幾乎跟那家一樣安靜。

Zhè jiā kāfēi diàn jīhū gēn nà jiā yíyàng ānjìng.

This café is almost as quiet as that one.

主要差別是___。

Zhǔyào chābié shì ___.

The main difference is ___.

Meaning: 主要差別是___。 (Zhǔyào chābié shì ___.) means “The main difference is ___.”

When to use: Use it to point out the most important difference after comparing two options.

主要差別是價格。

Zhǔyào chābié shì jiàgé.

The main difference is the price.

主要差別是交通方不方便。

Zhǔyào chābié shì jiāotōng fāng bù fāngbiàn.

The main difference is whether the transportation is convenient.

___和___都很___。

___ hé ___ dōu hěn ___.

Both ___ and ___ are ___.

Meaning: ___和___都很___。 (___ hé ___ dōu hěn ___.) means “Both ___ and ___ are ___.”

When to use: Use it when two things share the same quality.

台北和台中都很方便。

Táiběi hé Táizhōng dōu hěn fāngbiàn.

Both Taipei and Taichung are convenient.

這兩個方法都很實用。

Zhè liǎng ge fāngfǎ dōu hěn shíyòng.

Both methods are practical.

要看你的需求

Yào kàn nǐ de xūqiú.

It depends on what you need.

Meaning: 要看你的需求。 (Yào kàn nǐ de xūqiú.) means “It depends on what you need.”

When to use: Use it when there is no single best choice because the answer changes by situation.

要看你的需求。如果你趕時間，就坐高鐵。

Yào kàn nǐ de xūqiú. Rúguǒ nǐ gǎn shíjiān, jiù zuò gāo tiě.

It depends on what you need. If you’re in a hurry, take the high-speed rail.

哪一個比較好？要看你的需求。

Nǎ yí ge bǐjiào hǎo? Yào kàn nǐ de xūqiú.

Which one is better? It depends on what you need.

哪一個比較___？

Nǎ yí ge bǐjiào ___?

Which one is more ___?

Meaning: 哪一個比較___？ (Nǎ yí ge bǐjiào ___?) means “Which one is more ___?”

When to use: Use it to ask someone to compare two or more options by one quality.

哪一個比較便宜？

Nǎ yí ge bǐjiào piányí?

Which one is cheaper?

哪一個比較適合初學者？

Nǎ yí ge bǐjiào shìhé chūxuézhě?

Which one is more suitable for beginners?

___跟___差不多。

___ gēn ___ chàbuduō.

There isn't much difference between ___ and ___.

Meaning: ___跟___差不多。 (___ gēn ___ chàbuduō.) means “There isn’t much difference between ___ and ___.”

When to use: Use it when two choices are similar enough that the difference is small.

Tip: 差不多 (chàbuduō) already means “about the same,” so you usually do not need 很 (hěn) before it in this sentence.

這家跟那家差不多。

Zhè jiā gēn nà jiā chàbuduō.

This place and that place are about the same.

搭公車跟搭捷運差不多。

Dā gōngchē gēn dā Jiéyùn chàbuduō.

Taking the bus and taking the MRT are about the same.

___和___有很多共同點。

___ hé ___ yǒu hěn duō gòngtóngdiǎn.

___ and ___ have a lot in common.

Meaning: ___和___有很多共同點。 (___ hé ___ yǒu hěn duō gòngtóngdiǎn.) means “___ and ___ have a lot in common.”

When to use: Use it for broader similarities, especially when two people, places, ideas, or options share several things.

台南和高雄有很多共同點。

Táinán hé Gāoxióng yǒu hěn duō gòngtóngdiǎn.

Tainan and Kaohsiung have a lot in common.

這兩個APP有很多共同點。

Zhè liǎng ge APP yǒu hěn duō gòngtóngdiǎn.

These two apps have a lot in common.

___比___花的時間更久。

___ bǐ ___ huā de shíjiān gèng jiǔ.

___ takes longer than ___.

Meaning: ___比___花的時間更久。 (___ bǐ ___ huā de shíjiān gèng jiǔ.) means “___ takes longer than ___.”

When to use: Use it to compare how much time two activities, routes, or choices take.

坐公車比坐捷運花的時間更久。

Zuò gōngchē bǐ zuò Jiéyùn huā de shíjiān gèng jiǔ.

Taking the bus takes longer than taking the MRT.

自己煮飯比外帶花的時間更久。

Zìjǐ zhǔ fàn bǐ wàidài huā de shíjiān gèng jiǔ.

Cooking for yourself takes longer than getting takeout.

一方面___，另一方面___。

Yī fāngmiàn ___, lìng yī fāngmiàn ___.

On the one hand, ___; on the other hand, ___.

Meaning: 一方面___，另一方面___。 (Yī fāngmiàn ___, lìng yī fāngmiàn ___.) means “On the one hand, ___; on the other hand, ___.”

When to use: Use it to balance two different or contrasting points in a comparison.

一方面台北很方便，另一方面房租比較貴。

Yī fāngmiàn Táiběi hěn fāngbiàn, lìng yī fāngmiàn fángzū bǐjiào guì.

On the one hand, Taipei is very convenient; on the other hand, rent is more expensive.

一方面線上課很彈性，另一方面比較難專心。

Yī fāngmiàn xiànshàng kè hěn tánxìng, lìng yī fāngmiàn bǐjiào nán zhuānxīn.

On the one hand, online classes are flexible; on the other hand, it’s harder to focus.

我比較喜歡___，而不是___，因為___。

Wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuān ___, ér bú shì ___, yīnwèi ___.

I prefer ___ to ___ because ___.

Meaning: 我比較喜歡___，而不是___，因為___。 (Wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuān ___, ér bú shì ___, yīnwèi ___.) means “I prefer ___ to ___ because ___.”

When to use: Use it to choose between two options and give a simple reason.

我比較喜歡坐高鐵，而不是坐客運，因為比較快。

Wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuān zuò gāo tiě, ér bú shì zuò kèyùn, yīnwèi bǐjiào kuài.

I prefer taking the high-speed rail to taking the bus because it’s faster.

我比較喜歡在咖啡店讀書，而不是在家，因為比較有動力。

Wǒ bǐjiào xǐhuān zài kāfēi diàn dúshū, ér bú shì zài jiā, yīnwèi bǐjiào yǒu dònglì.

I prefer studying at a café to studying at home because I feel more motivated.

___比___更容易___。

___ bǐ ___ gèng róngyì ___.

___ is easier to ___ than ___.

Meaning: ___比___更容易___。 (___ bǐ ___ gèng róngyì ___.) means “___ is easier to ___ than ___.”

When to use: Use it to compare two things by saying one is easier for a specific action.

線上訂票比現場買票更容易安排。

Xiànshàng dìng piào bǐ xiànchǎng mǎi piào gèng róngyì ānpái.

Booking tickets online is easier to arrange than buying them on-site.

這個APP比那個APP更容易使用。

Zhè ge APP bǐ nà ge APP gèng róngyì shǐyòng.

This app is easier to use than that app.

Traditional Chinese - Comparing Options

1. Reading + Listening Practice

2. Conversational Listening Practice

3. Guided Practice

Which phrase means “It depends on what you need”?

You want to say “The regular train is not as fast as the high-speed rail.” Which sentence is correct?

Which phrase is best for balancing two different points?

Which sentence says “This app is easier to use than that app”?

High-speed rail and regular train—which one is faster?

These two cafés have a lot in common.

I prefer studying at a café rather than at home because I feel more motivated.

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice