Meaning of 比较
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to compare
- to contrast
- comparatively
- relatively
- quite
- comparison
How to use 比较
As a verb, 比较 means to compare, often with 和 or 跟: 把A和B比较一下. As an adverb before adjectives, it softens the meaning to "fairly" or "rather," and this is extremely common in daily speech. Example: 今天比较冷。(Jīntiān bǐjiào lěng.) Today is rather cold.
比 (bǐ) looks like two people standing side by side, so you can measure one against the other. Add 较 (jiào), which also means to compare, and 比较 is putting two things next to each other to see which is more.
Common mistake: Learners often write 我比较他高 to mean "I am taller than him," but a direct comparison uses 比 alone: 我比他高 (Wǒ bǐ tā gāo). Also, 较 is pronounced jiào with a fourth tone, not jiǎo or xiào.
比较 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
比 bǐ · to compare · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
较 jiào · to compare · 10 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
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- 8
- 9
- 10
Related words
Words that share a character with 比较.
| 比如 | bǐrú | for example; for instance; such as |
| 比如说 | bǐrú shuō | for example |
| 比赛 | bǐsài | competition (sports etc); match |
| 相比 | xiāngbǐ | to compare |
| 比例 | bǐlì | proportion; scale |
| 对比 | duìbǐ | to contrast; contrast |
| 比分 | bǐfēn | score (of a game or competition) |
| 比方 | bǐfang | analogy; illustrative example; for instance |
| 比重 | bǐzhòng | proportion; (physics) specific gravity |
| 比起 | bǐqǐ | compared with |
| 无比 | wúbǐ | incomparable; matchless |
| 好比 | hǎobǐ | to be just like; can be compared to |
Questions about 比较
What does 比较 mean?
比较 (bǐjiào) means "to compare; to contrast" and is used as a adverb and verb.
How do you write 比较?
比较 is made of 2 characters: 比 (4 strokes), 较 (10 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 比较 an HSK word?
Yes. 比较 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 比较 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 比较 is written 比較.
Can I use 比较 and 很 together, like 比较很好?
No. 比较 and 很 are both degree adverbs, so use only one: 比较好 or 很好. 比较好 sounds a little milder than 很好.
What is the difference between 比较 and 对比?
比较 is the everyday word for comparing and also works as the adverb "relatively." 对比 (duìbǐ) focuses on contrasting differences and is more formal, and it cannot be used as an adverb before adjectives.