Chinese Comparisons: How to Explain Your Preferences in Correct Chinese Grammar

Want to argue that Iced Americano is the best drink for the morning? That's when comparison comes to play!☕ Comparison isn’t just a grammar point when learning Chinese — it’s the language of preference, opinion, and daily life. If you’re trying to describe why you chose one app over another, or argue which city is more lively, you’re lost without it. Chinese comparison grammar is refreshingly straightforward once you see the patterns. More or less, we’re moving from “This is good” to “This is good to the extent that…” And you’ll love how logical it is.

The foundation of Chinese comparison: “More than” with 比 bǐ

Let’s start with the workhorse: . This little character is your engine for all “more than” or “-er than” comparisons. The structure is beautifully consistent, and if you master this, you’re 70% of the way there.

Notice what’s not there? There’s no separate word for “taller.” You don’t say “more tall.” You just state the quality after establishing who is being compared to whom. The “-er” meaning is baked into the structure itself. It’s incredibly efficient.

Here’s something I’ve learned: you can add degree to this. Want to say “much taller”? Slot in an adverb like (Even more) or (A lot) before the adjective.

Simple negation of comparisons in Mandarin Chinese: “Less than” with 没有 & 不比

Now, what if I told you that the comparisons in Chinese often prefer to express “less than” by stating what something is not? Instead of a dedicated “less than” word, you’ll often use , which literally means “to not have.” The structure mirrors .

It’s a simple negation of the quality. Basically, you’re saying “Coffee lacks the hotness that tea has.” It’s intuitive once you shift your thinking.

But — and here’s a nuance we should address — there’s also . This is trickier. means “not as… as.” means “not more… than.” It’s a small distinction, but in other words, is for a clear gap, and often suggests a neutral or defensive comparison. You’ll use far more often as a beginner.

Express equality & the superlative: “As good as” with 一样 and “the best” with 最

Of course, life isn’t always about being better or worse. Sometimes things are equal, or one is the ultimate champion.

Now, for the superstar: the superlative (“the most,” “-est”). Chinese handles this not with a special word on the adjective, but by defining a scope.

The keyword is wonderfully powerful and simple. Just remember it defines a peak within a specified group.

Form comparative sentences on actions: Verbs & 像……一样

Remember the syntax in the previous sections? The previously mentioned syntax allows Chinese learners to use both adjectives and verbs with objects. That's because when using adjectives, we’ve compared qualities. But when comparing actions, we need verbs and objects.

Note that the verbs need to be paired with proper tense particles and modal particles.

Finally, let’s talk about simile — comparing things using “like” or “as.” The structure (like…, as… as) is incredibly versatile.

You can even use it for exaggerated, humorous effect, which is very common in everyday speech. In other words, this isn’t just poetic; it’s part of the conversational toolkit.

Learn to make comparisons in Chinese naturally via watching videos extensively

The syntax structure is abstract. You might be aware that the more Chinese grammar you learn, the more syntax rules get into your mind. It's overwhelming to remember the rules without context, and you need to use media as your best ally!

The good news is, Migaku app can help generate Chinese subtitles even when the video does not feature any. For example, Migaku app can generate subtitles for this cut from The Knockout with the English translation. You can also click the words or sentences to add them to your flashcard collections and review them later.

FAQs

Ready to express your opinions and compare things with friends?

Now you are equipped with the knowledge to argue that Iced Americano is the best! - ！Get ready for your friend's argument and prepare for further reasoning on why it's the best! You can also adopt a Japanese-Chinese way of saying it as - ！- as the younger generation in mainland China is more and more open to the Japanese anime and manga culture! This is what you can't learn from the textbooks, but the media will give you the hint:

State your preference confidently!