Making Comparisons: 比, 没有, 跟...一样, 更, and 最

Comparisons come up constantly in conversation, and Chinese has a clean set of tools for them. Each one covers a slightly different situation, so it's worth knowing which to reach for.

比: saying something is more than something else

比 (bǐ) is the workhorse of comparisons. It sits between the two things being compared.

A + 比 + B + Adjective

• 今天比昨天冷。(Jīntiān bǐ zuótiān lěng.) -- Today is colder than yesterday.
• 她比我高。(Tā bǐ wǒ gāo.) -- She is taller than me.
• 这个比那个贵。(Zhège bǐ nàge guì.) -- This one is more expensive than that one.

You can also say by how much by adding the degree after the adjective:

• 他比我高五厘米。(Tā bǐ wǒ gāo wǔ límǐ.) -- He is five centimeters taller than me.
• 这件衣服比那件贵一百块。(Zhè jiàn yīfu bǐ nà jiàn guì yī bǎi kuài.) -- This shirt is 100 yuan more expensive than that one.

One thing to avoid: don't add 很 or 非常 after the adjective in a 比 sentence. Saying 她比我很高 is a common mistake. The adjective stands on its own.

没有: saying something is less than something else

没有 (méiyǒu) flips the comparison around. It means the first thing does not measure up to the second.

A + 没有 + B + Adjective

• 今天没有昨天冷。(Jīntiān méiyǒu zuótiān lěng.) -- Today is not as cold as yesterday.
• 我没有她高。(Wǒ méiyǒu tā gāo.) -- I'm not as tall as her.
• 这个没有那个好吃。(Zhège méiyǒu nàge hǎochī.) -- This one doesn't taste as good as that one.

This is often the most natural way to say something falls short, rather than saying "B is more than A" the other way around.

跟...一样: saying two things are the same

When two things are equal, use 跟...一样 (gēn...yīyàng), which literally means "same as."

A + 跟 + B + 一样 (+ Adjective)

• 我跟你一样。(Wǒ gēn nǐ yīyàng.) -- I'm the same as you. / We're alike.
• 这件跟那件一样大。(Zhè jiàn gēn nà jiàn yīyàng dà.) -- This one is the same size as that one.
• 他跟我一样喜欢音乐。(Tā gēn wǒ yīyàng xǐhuān yīnyuè.) -- He likes music just as much as I do.

To say something is not the same, just add 不 before 一样:

• 今天跟昨天不一样。(Jīntiān gēn zuótiān bù yīyàng.) -- Today is not the same as yesterday.

更: even more

更 (gèng) means "even more" and is used to push a comparison further. It usually appears before the adjective.

• 这个贵，那个更贵。(Zhège guì, nàge gèng guì.) -- This one is expensive, but that one is even more expensive.
• 今天冷，明天会更冷。(Jīntiān lěng, míngtiān huì gèng lěng.) -- Today is cold; tomorrow will be even colder.
• 她已经很厉害了，她妈妈更厉害。(Tā yǐjīng hěn lìhài le, tā māma gèng lìhài.) -- She's already impressive, but her mom is even more so.

更 can also appear in a 比 sentence to add emphasis:

• 她比我更高。(Tā bǐ wǒ gèng gāo.) -- She is even taller than me.

最: the most

最 (zuì) means "the most" and turns an adjective into a superlative. It goes right before the adjective, the same position as 很.

• 这个最贵。(Zhège zuì guì.) -- This one is the most expensive.
• 她是班里最高的学生。(Tā shì bān lǐ zuì gāo de xuésheng.) -- She is the tallest student in the class.
• 我最喜欢夏天。(Wǒ zuì xǐhuān xiàtiān.) -- I like summer the most.

最 works with adjectives and also with verbs like 喜欢, 想, and 希望. It's one of the easier patterns in this group because it behaves so predictably.

A quick summary

Pattern	Meaning	Example
A 比 B + Adj	A is more [adj] than B	苹果比橙子甜
A 没有 B + Adj	A is not as [adj] as B	苹果没有橙子甜
A 跟 B 一样	A is the same as B	苹果跟橙子一样甜
更 + Adj	even more [adj]	这个更甜
最 + Adj	the most [adj]	这个最甜

These five patterns cover the vast majority of comparisons you will want to make. Once you have 比 and 没有 solid, the others fall into place quickly.