For autodidact students of Mandarin, 比 (bǐ) — "than" — is the cornerstone of the Chinese comparative construction. Where English uses "than" after an adjective (taller than, more beautiful than), Chinese uses 比 before the standard of comparison: 他比我高 (He than-me tall = He is taller than me). The adjective carries no comparative form — no "-er" or "more" — 比 does all the work.
This is the final lesson of the first fifty words. 比 completes the course by giving learners the tool to measure, evaluate, and compare everything they have learned. 中文越来越容易了 (Chinese is getting easier and easier). And with 比, the learner can now say: 今天比昨天学到的多 (Today I learned more than yesterday).
Key Takeaways: - 比 (bǐ) + standard + adjective: A 比 B + adj = A is [adj]-er than B - No comparative form on adjectives — 比 does the work - Degree of difference: 比 B + adj + 一点/多了/得多 - Negative: 没有 (B) + adj — not as [adj] as B - 越来越 (yuèlái yuè): more and more — comparative without a standard - 比较 (bǐjiào): relatively / comparatively — softer than 比
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比 is composed of two人 (rén, person) side by side — two people standing next to each other for comparison. The pictographic logic is perfect: comparison is putting two things next to each other. The character has barely changed in three thousand years — the two figures standing side by side, measuring each other.
比 appears in many important words: 比较 (bǐjiào, compare/relatively), 比赛 (bǐsài, competition), 比喻 (bǐyù, metaphor/analogy), 比例 (bǐlì, proportion/ratio). In all of them, the sense of two things measured against each other persists.
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50.1a 他 he 比 than 我 me 高 tall
50.1b (tā) he (bǐ) than (wǒ) me (gāo) tall [= He is taller than me]
50.2a 今天 today 比 than 昨天 yesterday 冷 cold
50.2b (jīntiān) today (bǐ) than (zuótiān) yesterday (lěng) cold [= Today is colder than yesterday]
50.3a 这个 this 比 than 那个 that 贵 expensive 一点 a-little
50.3b (zhège) this (bǐ) than (nàge) that (guì) expensive (yīdiǎn) a-little [= This is a little more expensive than that]
50.4a 她 she 唱歌 sings 没有 not-as 你 you 好 good
50.4b (tā) she (chàng gē) sings (méiyǒu) not-as (nǐ) you (hǎo) good [= She doesn't sing as well as you]
50.5a 越 the-more 学 learn 越 the-more 有意思 interesting
50.5b (yuè) the-more (xué) learn (yuè) the-more (yǒu yìsi) interesting
50.6a 这件事 this-matter 比我 than-I 想象 imagined 的 DE 难 hard 得多 much-more
50.6b (zhè jiàn shì) this-matter (bǐ wǒ) than-I (xiǎngxiàng) imagined (de) DE (nán) hard (de duō) much-more
50.7a 我 I 比较 relatively 喜欢 like 安静 quiet 的 DE 地方 places
50.7b (wǒ) I (bǐjiào) relatively (xǐhuan) like (ānjìng) quiet (de) DE (dìfāng) places
50.8a 他 he 跑得 runs-DE 比 than 任何人 anyone 都 all 快 fast
50.8b (tā) he (pǎo de) runs-DE (bǐ) than (rènhérén) anyone (dōu) all (kuài) fast
50.9a 你 you 比 than 我 me 更 even-more 了解 understand 她 her
50.9b (nǐ) you (bǐ) than (wǒ) me (gèng) even-more (liǎojiě) understand (tā) her
50.10a 这里 here 的 DE 冬天 winter 没有 not-as 那里 there 的 DE 冷 cold
50.10b (zhèlǐ) here (de) DE (dōngtiān) winter (méiyǒu) not-as (nàlǐ) there (de) DE (lěng) cold
50.11a 现在 now 的 DE 你 you 比 than 以前 before 更 even-more 自信 confident
50.11b (xiànzài) now (de) DE (nǐ) you (bǐ) than (yǐqián) before (gèng) even-more (zìxìn) confident
50.12a 做 doing 比 than 说 saying 重要 important
50.12b (zuò) doing (bǐ) than (shuō) saying (zhòngyào) important [= Doing is more important than saying]
50.13a 时间 time 比 than 金钱 money 更 even-more 宝贵 precious
50.13b (shíjiān) time (bǐ) than (jīnqián) money (gèng) even-more (bǎoguì) precious
50.14a 认识 knowing-a-person 比 than 知道 knowing-about 更难 harder
50.14b (rènshi) knowing-a-person (bǐ) than (zhīdào) knowing-about (gèng nán) harder
50.15a 每天 every-day 都 all 比 than 昨天 yesterday 好 better 一点 a-little ， , 这就够了 that-is-enough-PERF
50.15b (měitiān) every-day (dōu) all (bǐ) than (zuótiān) yesterday (hǎo) better (yīdiǎn) a-little (zhè jiù gòu le) that-is-enough-PERF
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50.1 他比我高。 "He is taller than me."
50.2 今天比昨天冷。 "Today is colder than yesterday."
50.3 这个比那个贵一点。 "This one is a little more expensive than that one."
50.4 她唱歌没有你好。 "She doesn't sing as well as you."
50.5 越学越有意思。 "The more you study, the more interesting it becomes."
50.6 这件事比我想象的难得多。 "This matter is much harder than I imagined."
50.7 我比较喜欢安静的地方。 "I relatively prefer quiet places."
50.8 他跑得比任何人都快。 "He runs faster than anyone."
50.9 你比我更了解她。 "You understand her better than I do."
50.10 这里的冬天没有那里的冷。 "The winter here is not as cold as there."
50.11 现在的你比以前更自信。 "You are more confident now than before."
50.12 做比说重要。 "Doing is more important than saying."
50.13 时间比金钱更宝贵。 "Time is more precious than money."
50.14 认识比知道更难。 "Truly knowing someone is harder than just knowing about them."
50.15 每天都比昨天好一点，这就够了。 "Each day a little better than yesterday — that is enough."
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50.1 他比我高。 50.2 今天比昨天冷。 50.3 这个比那个贵一点。 50.4 她唱歌没有你好。 50.5 越学越有意思。 50.6 这件事比我想象的难得多。 50.7 我比较喜欢安静的地方。 50.8 他跑得比任何人都快。 50.9 你比我更了解她。 50.10 这里的冬天没有那里的冷。 50.11 现在的你比以前更自信。 50.12 做比说重要。 50.13 时间比金钱更宝贵。 50.14 认识比知道更难。 50.15 每天都比昨天好一点，这就够了。
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These are the grammar rules for 比 (bǐ) — "than / to compare":
Basic 比 comparative: A + 比 + B + adjective
A 比 B + adj = A is [adj]-er than B. No comparative form on the adjective: - 他比我高 (He is taller than me — 高 stays as 高, no 更高 needed) - 今天比昨天冷 (Today is colder than yesterday) - 做比说重要 (Doing is more important than saying)
Degree of difference:
Add a quantity after the adjective to specify how much: - 比我高一点 (taller than me by a little — 一点) - 比我高得多 (much taller than me — 得多) - 比我高五厘米 (taller than me by 5cm — specific measure) - 比我高多了 (a lot taller than me — informal 多了)
Adding 更 (gèng) — "even more":
更 before the adjective adds emphasis: 比以前更自信 (more confident than before — even more so). 更 is optional in standard 比 sentences but common for emphasis.
Negative comparison: 没有 B + adjective — "not as [adj] as B":
没有 replaces 比 for "not as…as": 她唱歌没有你好 (She doesn't sing as well as you — literally "her singing has-not you's good"). 没有 asks: does A reach B's level? No. This is the standard way to express inequality in the negative direction.
越来越 — "more and more":
越来越 + adjective = increasingly [adj], getting more [adj]: - 越来越有意思 (more and more interesting) - 越来越好 (better and better) - 越来越难 (harder and harder)
越…越… — "the more…the more…":
越 + verb/adj + 越 + result: 越学越有意思 (The more you learn, the more interesting it gets). Both 越 work together; the first sets the increasing condition, the second the increasing result.
比较 (bǐjiào) — "relatively / comparatively":
比较 as an adverb softens comparisons: 我比较喜欢安静的地方 (I relatively prefer quiet places — not absolutely, but comparatively). More tactful than direct 比 comparison in social situations.
Common Mistakes: - Adding 更/多 redundantly to the base adjective: 他比我更高 is acceptable (更 for emphasis), but 他比我高更 is wrong — 更 goes before the adjective - Using 比 for equality: 他跟我一样高 (He is as tall as me — use 跟…一样 for equality, not 比) - Word order: *比我他高 — wrong; A must come before 比: 他比我高
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比 in Chinese competitive culture: 攀比 (pānbǐ, keeping up with the Joneses — literally "climbing to compare") is one of the most criticised social tendencies in Chinese moral discourse. Constantly comparing oneself to others — 比房子比车比收入 (comparing houses, cars, income) — is seen as exhausting and spiritually hollow. The antidote is 知足 (zhīzú, contentment — knowing when enough is enough). 比 is grammatically necessary; 攀比 is socially harmful.
人比人，气死人 (rén bǐ rén, qì sǐ rén — comparing people to people will anger you to death) is the classic Chinese proverb against social comparison. The 比 that should be external is best turned inward: 今天比昨天的自己好一点 (Be a little better than yesterday's self) — the self-directed 比 is growth; the other-directed 比 is suffering.
比赛 (bǐsài, competition / match — literally "compare-contest") governs sport, business, and academic life. Chinese education from primary school onward ranks students through 比 — scores, places, percentiles. The character of two people side by side contains within it both the joy of striving and the pain of being measured.
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《荀子·劝学》— Xunzi: Encouraging Learning, c. 3rd century BCE
The most famous Chinese essay on the superiority of learning and self-cultivation — built on 比 comparisons throughout.
青，取之于蓝，而青于蓝；冰，水为之，而寒于水。
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
青 (qīng) blue-green ， 取之 (qǔ zhī) taken-from-it 于蓝 (yú lán) from-indigo ，
而 (ér) yet 青于蓝 (qīng yú lán) bluer-than-indigo ；
冰 (bīng) ice ， 水为之 (shuǐ wéi zhī) water-makes-it ，
而 (ér) yet 寒于水 (hán yú shuǐ) colder-than-water
F-B: Authentic Text with Translation
青，取之于蓝，而青于蓝；冰，水为之，而寒于水。
"Blue-green — it is taken from indigo, yet is bluer than indigo. Ice — water makes it, yet is colder than water."
F-C: Authentic Text Only
青，取之于蓝，而青于蓝；冰，水为之，而寒于水。
F-D: Grammar and Vocabulary Notes
青于蓝 (qīng yú lán): "bluer than indigo." Classical comparative uses 于 (yú) rather than 比: [adjective] + 于 + [standard] = more [adj] than [standard]. 于 is the classical preposition meaning "than/from/at." Modern 比 replaces 于 in comparative constructions.
寒于水 (hán yú shuǐ): "colder than water." Ice comes from water; yet exceeds its source in coldness. The parallel structure makes the argument elegantly: the product surpasses its origin. 比 is the modern way to say this: 冰比水寒 (ice is colder than water).
The argument: learning transforms the learner just as indigo transforms into blue, water transforms into ice — the student becomes more than their origin through cultivation. 青出于蓝而胜于蓝 (blue comes from indigo yet surpasses indigo) became a Chinese idiom for students who exceed their teachers.
F-E: Literary Commentary
Xunzi's essay opens with comparisons — 比 as a teaching method, examples drawn from nature to prove that cultivation surpasses origin. The lesson word 比 is the tool by which the argument is made: to show that something is better (比…好) or stronger (比…强) or deeper (比…深) is to show that learning has happened. The entire course you have completed is a 比 argument: today's Chinese is better than yesterday's, this lesson more understood than the first. 每天都比昨天好一点 — that is the Xunzi principle, dressed in modern grammar.
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The narrator reflects on fifty words learned — using 比 to compare the beginning to now, the known to the unknown, the self before to the self after. A lesson that turns back on the course itself, using every grammar point learned to describe the act of learning.
50.16a 第一课 first-lesson 和 and 第五十课 fiftieth-lesson 比 compare ， , 哪个 which 更难 harder ？
50.16b (dì yī kè) first-lesson (hé) and (dì wǔshí kè) fiftieth-lesson (bǐ) compare (nǎge) which (gèng nán) harder?
50.17a 第一课 first-lesson 难 hard ， , 因为 because 什么 anything 都 all 不知道 not-know ； 第五十课 fiftieth-lesson 也难 also-hard ， , 因为 because 知道得越多 know-more ， , 越 the-more 觉得 feel 不够 not-enough
50.17b (dì yī kè) first-lesson (nán) hard (yīnwèi) because (shénme) anything (dōu) all (bù zhīdào) not-know (dì wǔshí kè) fiftieth-lesson (yě nán) also-hard (yīnwèi) because (zhīdào de yuè duō) know-more (yuè) the-more (juéde) feel (bù gòu) not-enough
50.18a 刚开始 just-beginning 学 study 时候 time ， , 觉得 felt 中文 Chinese 比英文 than-English 难 harder 得多 much-more
50.18b (gāng kāishǐ) just-beginning (xué) study (shíhou) time (juéde) felt (Zhōngwén) Chinese (bǐ Yīngwén) than-English (nán) harder (de duō) much-more
50.19a 现在 now ， , 觉得 feel 中文 Chinese 没有 not-as 以前 before 想象 imagined 的 DE 那么难 that-hard
50.19b (xiànzài) now (juéde) feel (Zhōngwén) Chinese (méiyǒu) not-as (yǐqián) before (xiǎngxiàng) imagined (de) DE (nàme nán) that-hard
50.20a 这 this 就是 exactly-is 越 the-more 学 learn 越 the-more 有收获 have-gains 的 DE 意思 meaning
50.20b (zhè) this (jiùshì) exactly-is (yuè) the-more (xué) learn (yuè) the-more (yǒu shōuhuò) have-gains (de) DE (yìsi) meaning
50.21a 五十 fifty 个 CL 词 words ， , 比你 than-you 想象 imagined 的 DE 要 surprisingly 多 more 一些 some 东西 things
50.21b (wǔshí) fifty (gè) CL (cí) words (bǐ nǐ) than-you (xiǎngxiàng) imagined (de) DE (yào) surprisingly (duō) more (yīxiē) some (dōngxi) things
50.22a 一个字 one-character 能 can 带出 bring-out 一百个 one-hundred-CL 词 words ； 一句话 one-sentence 能 can 通往 lead-to 整 whole 片 CL 天地** world
50.22b (yī gè zì) one-character (néng) can (dài chū) bring-out (yī bǎi gè) one-hundred-CL (cí) words (yī jù huà) one-sentence (néng) can (tōng wǎng) lead-to (zhěng) whole (piàn) CL (tiān dì) world
50.23a 你 you 现在 now 知道 know 的 DE ， , 比 than 你 you 以为 thought 自己 self 知道 know 的 DE 多 more
50.23b (nǐ) you (xiànzài) now (zhīdào) know (de) DE (bǐ) than (nǐ) you (yǐwéi) thought (zìjǐ) self (zhīdào) know (de) DE (duō) more
50.24a 每一课 every-lesson 都 all 带来 brought 了 PERF 比 than 上一课 last-lesson 多 more 一点 a-little 的 DE 光 light
50.24b (měi yī kè) every-lesson (dōu) all (dài lái le) brought-PERF (bǐ) than (shàng yī kè) last-lesson (duō) more (yīdiǎn) a-little (de) DE (guāng) light
50.25a 认识 know-by-acquaintance 一门 one-CL 语言 language ， , 就是 exactly-is 认识 know 另一个 another-CL 世界 world ； 认识 know 那个 that-CL 世界 world ， , 比 than 以前 before 更 even-more 了解 understand 自己 self 的 DE 这个** this-CL
50.25b (rènshi) know-by-acquaintance (yī mén) one-CL (yǔyán) language (jiùshì) exactly-is (rènshi) know (lìng yī gè) another-CL (shìjiè) world (rènshi) know (nàge) that-CL (shìjiè) world (bǐ) than (yǐqián) before (gèng) even-more (liǎojiě) understand (zìjǐ) self (de) DE (zhège) this-CL
50.26a 来 come 和 and 去 go ， , 拿 take 和 and 带 bring ， , 看 look 和 and 看见 see —— —— 每 every 一对 one-pair ， , 都 all 比 than 一个 one-CL 单独 alone 的 DE 词 word 告诉 tell 你 you 更多 more
50.26b (lái) come (hé) and (qù) go (ná) take (hé) and (dài) bring (kàn) look (hé) and (kàn jiàn) see (měi) every (yī duì) one-pair (dōu) all (bǐ) than (yī gè) one-CL (dāndú) alone (de) DE (cí) word (gàosu) tell (nǐ) you (gèng duō) more
50.27a 中文 Chinese 越学 the-more-study 越 the-more 好看 beautiful ， , 就像 just-like 一座 one-CL 城市 city ， , 住 live 得越久 the-longer ， , 越 the-more 舍不得 reluctant-to-leave 离开 leave
50.27b (Zhōngwén) Chinese (yuè xué) the-more-study (yuè) the-more (hǎokàn) beautiful (jiù xiàng) just-like (yī zuò) one-CL (chéngshì) city (zhù) live (de yuè jiǔ) the-longer (yuè) the-more (shě bu de) reluctant-to-leave (líkāi) leave
50.28a 五十 fifty 个 CL 词 words ， , 是 is 一个 a 开始 beginning ， , 不是 not-is 终点 end
50.28b (wǔshí) fifty (gè) CL (cí) words (shì) is (yī gè) a (kāishǐ) beginning (bùshì) not-is (zhōngdiǎn) end
50.29a 比 than 昨天 yesterday 好 better 一点 a-little ； 比 than 昨天 yesterday 多学 learn-more 一点 a-little ； 比 than 昨天 yesterday 更靠近 closer 那 that 片 CL 天地 world 一点 a-little
50.29b (bǐ) than (zuótiān) yesterday (hǎo) better (yīdiǎn) a-little (bǐ) than (zuótiān) yesterday (duō xué) learn-more (yīdiǎn) a-little (bǐ) than (zuótiān) yesterday (gèng kāo jìn) closer (nà piàn) that-CL (tiān dì) world (yīdiǎn) a-little
50.30a 继续 continue 来 come 。
50.30b (jìxù) continue (lái) come
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50.16 第一课和第五十课比，哪个更难？ "Comparing the first lesson with the fiftieth — which is harder?"
50.17 第一课难，因为什么都不知道；第五十课也难，因为知道得越多，越觉得不够。 "The first lesson is hard because you know nothing. The fiftieth is also hard — because the more you know, the more you feel it isn't enough."
50.18 刚开始学的时候，觉得中文比英文难得多。 "When I first started learning, I felt Chinese was much harder than English."
50.19 现在，觉得中文没有以前想象的那么难。 "Now, I feel Chinese isn't as hard as I imagined before."
50.20 这就是越学越有收获的意思。 "That is what 'the more you study the more you gain' means."
50.21 五十个词，比你想象的要多一些东西。 "Fifty words — they carry more than you imagined."
50.22 一个字能带出一百个词；一句话能通往整片天地。 "One character can lead to a hundred words; one sentence can open up a whole world."
50.23 你现在知道的，比你以为自己知道的多。 "What you know now is more than what you thought you knew."
50.24 每一课都带来了比上一课多一点的光。 "Every lesson brought a little more light than the one before."
50.25 认识一门语言，就是认识另一个世界；认识那个世界，比以前更了解自己的这个。 "To know a language is to know another world — and knowing that world, you understand your own better than before."
50.26 来和去，拿和带，看和看见——every pair tells you more than any single word alone. "来 and 去, 拿 and 带, 看 and 看见 — each pair tells you more than a single word."
50.27 中文越学越好看，就像一座城市，住得越久，越舍不得离开。 "The more you study Chinese, the more beautiful it becomes — like a city: the longer you live there, the more reluctant you are to leave."
50.28 五十个词，是一个开始，不是终点。 "Fifty words — a beginning, not an end."
50.29 比昨天好一点；比昨天多学一点；比昨天更靠近那片天地一点。 "A little better than yesterday; a little more learned than yesterday; a little closer than yesterday to that world."
50.30 继续来。 "Keep coming. / Continue."
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50.16 第一课和第五十课比，哪个更难？ 50.17 第一课难，因为什么都不知道；第五十课也难，因为知道得越多，越觉得不够。 50.18 刚开始学的时候，觉得中文比英文难得多。 50.19 现在，觉得中文没有以前想象的那么难。 50.20 这就是越学越有收获的意思。 50.21 五十个词，比你想象的要多一些东西。 50.22 一个字能带出一百个词；一句话能通往整片天地。 50.23 你现在知道的，比你以为自己知道的多。 50.24 每一课都带来了比上一课多一点的光。 50.25 认识一门语言，就是认识另一个世界；认识那个世界，比以前更了解自己的这个。 50.26 来和去，拿和带，看和看见——每一对，都比一个单独的词告诉你更多。 50.27 中文越学越好看，就像一座城市，住得越久，越舍不得离开。 50.28 五十个词，是一个开始，不是终点。 50.29 比昨天好一点；比昨天多学一点；比昨天更靠近那片天地一点。 50.30 继续来。
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知道得越多，越觉得不够 (50.17): The 越…越… structure with a clause as the first element: 知道得越多 (the more one knows — literally "know DE more") + 越觉得不够 (the more one feels insufficient). 知道得多/少 uses the manner complement 得 to quantify knowing: "know to a great/small degree."
比你想象的要多一些东西 (50.21): 比你想象的 (than what you imagined) + 要 + 多一些 (more by some amount). 要 here is not "want" or "will" — it functions as an intensifier before 多/少/早/晚 in comparisons: 比预计的要早 (earlier than expected — 要 emphasising the degree of difference). This 要 is literary and formal.
舍不得 (shě bu de): "cannot bear to give up / reluctant to leave" — 舍 (give up/let go) + 不得 (potential complement: cannot do). 舍不得 = unable to bring oneself to let go. 舍不得离开 (cannot bear to leave — the city, the language, the world). The potential complement 不得 marks emotional/psychological impossibility rather than physical.
继续来 (jìxù lái): "continue to come / keep coming" — 继续 (continue) + 来 (come). The final two words of the course. 来 is the Analects' first important verb — 有朋自远方来 — and the last word here. The course began with coming and ends with coming again. 继续来 is an invitation: the fifty words are not a wall to scale but a door to enter. Keep coming through it.
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比 (bǐ) — IPA: /pi˨˩˦/ — Third tone, dipping then rising.
b: unaspirated bilabial stop [p] — no puff of breath. Mandarin b/p contrast is aspiration: 比 [p] (unaspirated) vs 批 [pʰ] (aspirated). The vocal cords do not vibrate in either.
ǐ: high-front vowel [i], dipping low and rising through the third tone.
比 in rapid speech: before another syllable, 比 often stays low without the final rise (half-third tone). In the comparative structure — 比我高 — the 比 [pi] stays low while the following syllables carry their own tones. This natural reduction is correct and expected.
比 vs 笔 (bǐ, pen): same pronunciation, same tone — homophones. Context always distinguishes: 钢笔 (pen), 比较 (compare).
比较 (bǐjiào) — IPA: /pi˨˩˦.tɕjao˥˩/ — Third then fourth tone. Tone sandhi applies: the first 比 (3rd tone) rises only fully if followed by a pause; before 较 (4th tone) it often stays low-rising. The combination — dip-rise followed by sharp fall — gives 比较 a balanced, weighing quality: appropriate for a word that means "to weigh and compare."
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