Comparison with 比 - Degree of Difference

In English, we usually put the difference at the start. We say "He is five centimeters taller." In Chinese, we flip that logic. We start with the comparison and end with the difference. The "gap" always comes last. It acts like a little tail on your sentence. This tail tells us the exact amount of the difference. It can be a specific number like 三块钱 (three yuan). It can also be a general feeling like 一点儿 (a little bit). Imagine you are standing on a podium. You are in first place. Your friend is in second place. To explain the win, you need this grammar. You are faster than them by two seconds. That "two seconds" is your degree of difference. It is the most important part of the detail.

1. 1Building these sentences is like building a sandwich. You just need to follow the right layers. Follow these five simple steps:
2. 2Start with the first person or thing (A).
3. 3Add the comparison word 比.
4. 4Add the second person or thing (B).
5. 5Add the quality you are comparing (Adjective).
6. 6Add the specific amount or degree (The Gap).
7. 7Structure: A + 比 + B + Adjective + Number/Quantity/Degree.
8. 8Example: 他 (A) + 比 (bǐ) + 我 (B) + 高 (Adjective) + 十厘米 (Degree).
9. 9Translation: He is ten centimeters taller than me.
10. 10Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes by putting the number in the wrong place. Keep that number at the very end!

Use this whenever the "how much" matters.

• Shopping: Use it to compare prices at the market. 这个比那个贵五块。 (This is 5 yuan more expensive than that.)
• Travel: Use it to talk about time. 坐地铁比坐公交快二十分钟。 (Taking the subway is 20 minutes faster than the bus.)
• Health: Use it to track your progress. 我今天比昨天累一点儿。 (I am a little bit more tired today than yesterday.)
• Weather: Use it for temperature changes. 今天比昨天热三度。 (Today is 3 degrees hotter than yesterday.)
• Work: Use it to compare workloads or experience. 我的主意比他的好得多。 (My idea is much better than his.)

It is perfect for when you want to be more than just vague.

Do not use this if you are not comparing two specific things. If you just want to say "He is very tall," use 他很高. Do not use this pattern if you don't know the difference. If you just want to say "A is better than B," stop after the adjective. Also, do not use this with equality. If two things are the same, use 一样. This pattern is strictly for when one thing is "more" or "less" than another. Think of it like a grammar traffic light. If there is no gap, the light is red for this rule. If there is a gap, you have the green light to add your degree at the end.

• The "Very" Trap: This is the biggest mistake. Never use 很, 非常, or 太 before the adjective in a 比 sentence. You cannot say ✗ 他比我很高. It sounds like saying "He is than me very tall." Just say 他比我高. If you want to say "much taller," use 得多 at the end.
• Wrong Placement: Do not put the number before the adjective. ✗ 他比我十厘米高 is wrong. The adjective must come first to set the stage.
• Vague Quantities: Avoid using 一些 and 一点儿 together. Pick one.
• Negative Confusion: Negating these sentences can be tricky. Usually, we use 没有 instead of 不比 when we want to talk about the degree of difference.

How does this compare to other ways of comparing?

• 比 vs 没有: 比 is for when A is more than B. 没有 is for when A is less than B. If you use 没有, you usually don't add a specific number at the end.
• 一点儿 vs 一些: Both mean "a little bit." 一点儿 is slightly more common in spoken Chinese.
• 得多 vs 多了: Both mean "much more." 得多 feels a bit more formal, while 多了 is very common in casual chats.

Think of 得多 as the "heavy lifter" for big differences. Use it when the gap is huge, like comparing a bicycle to a rocket ship.