Level 5 · Lesson 17

他比我高
He's taller than I am

他比我高。他比我高一点儿。他比我高得多。

A 比 B plus an adjective — and never 很 in between.

听 · Listen

谁比谁高？
 安娜 —  这个人是你哥哥吧？他比你高，也比你胖一点儿。 
This is your older brother, right? He's taller than you, and a bit heavier-set too.  
 李明 —  对，他比我高得多，也比我大三岁。他吃得比我多。 
Yes, much taller than me, and three years older. He eats more than I do.  
 安娜 —  你们的电脑呢？谁的电脑更重？ 
What about your computers? Whose one is heavier?  
 李明 —  他的电脑比我的重，我的更轻，也更快。 
His computer is heavier than mine; mine is lighter, and faster too.  
 安娜 —  那你的电脑比他的好。 
Then your computer is better than his.  
 李明 —  也比他的贵！ 
And more expensive than his!  

讲解 · Explanation

他比我高。这本书比那本重。我的电脑比他的轻。

比 is a preposition, and like 跟, 从 and 对 it stands in front of what it governs and before the predicate: A 比 B + adjective. The whole comparison is three pieces and nothing else. Now the rule that trips up every learner: the adjective takes no 很. 他很高 is 'he is tall', but 他比我高 is 'he is taller than me' — 他比我很高 is simply wrong. When 比 comes in, 很 goes out.

他比我高一点儿。他比我高得多。他比我大三岁。他更高。

To say by how much, put the amount AFTER the adjective: 一点儿 for a little, 得多 for a lot, or a plain quantity like 三岁 or 五块钱. So 高一点儿 'a bit taller', 高得多 'much taller'. 更 works the other way round — it is an adverb, so it goes BEFORE the adjective: 更高, 更轻, 更贵. 更 means 'even more than that', so it assumes a comparison has already been made.

他吃得比我多。他跑得比我快。我说汉语说得比他好。

You can compare how an action is done by dropping 比 straight into the 得-complement you learned at l05-10: verb + 得 + 比 + B + adjective. And here too the adjective is bare — 跑得比我快, never 跑得比我很快. If the verb has an object, repeat the verb before 得, exactly as before: 说汉语说得比他好.

生词 · Vocabulary

词	Meaning	注 · Note
比	compared with, than	A 比 B + adjective, with no 很
更	even more, still more	before the adjective: 更高, 更贵
重	heavy	这台电脑很重 zhè tái diànnǎo hěn zhòng
轻	light in weight	the opposite of 重
胖	fat, plump	said of people; polite only about yourself

练习 · Practice

他 ______ 我高。 He is taller than I am.

哪个对？ Which sentence is correct Chinese?

今天比昨天 ______ 忙。 Fill in the adverb: today is even busier than yesterday.

排一排。 Arrange the words: 'He is much taller than I am.'

比、更、重、轻、胖 Match each word to its meaning.

用一用 · Use it

我哥哥比我高。这个电脑比那个轻得多。今天比昨天更忙。

Compare three pairs out loud. Two people you know: A 比 B + 高 / 大 / 胖. Two things in the room: A 比 B + 重 / 轻 / 新 / 贵. Two days: 今天比昨天… Then add a degree to each one — 一点儿 or 得多 after the adjective — and check as you speak that no 很 has slipped in after 比.