Comparison Sentences 5: 跟…相比 & Adjective + Quantity Complement
比较句5
Make comparisons using 跟…相比 and the pattern A + adjective + B + quantity complement
Pattern 1: 跟…相比 means "compared with" and sets up a frame of reference for the comparison that follows. Pattern 2: A + adjective + B + quantity complement states a precise numerical difference between A and B.
Pattern 1 is a topic-setting device — it puts the comparison baseline first. Pattern 2 is compact and has no equivalent in earlier HSK levels; the adjective comes right after A and the quantity complement shows the exact difference.
Lesson Targets
Podcast
Podcast: Comparison Sentences 5: 跟…相比 & Adjective + Quantity Complement (比较句5)
Listen to Jason & Amy explain the 比较句5 pattern
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Understanding 比较句5
At earlier HSK levels you learned 比 for basic comparisons and 没有 for negative comparisons. HSK 5 introduces two more sophisticated patterns. First, 跟…相比 ("compared with") is a framing device. It sets the baseline at the beginning of the sentence and lets you make any observation that follows: 跟上次考试相比，这次没有那么难 (Compared with the last exam, this one was not so hard). Second, the A + adjective + B + quantity complement pattern lets you state exact differences without using 比: 她高我五厘米 means "She is five centimeters taller than me." Notice how compact this is — no 比, no extra words, just subject + adjective + reference + number. This pattern is extremely common for age, height, time, and distance differences. Together these two patterns give you precise, natural-sounding comparison tools.
Key Points
- 跟 B 相比 literally means "with B mutually compared" — it sets up the comparison frame.
- After 跟…相比, you can use any sentence structure to describe the comparison.
- A + Adj + B + quantity complement: the adjective directly follows A, then B, then the specific amount.
- Common adjectives in pattern 2: 高 (taller), 大 (older/bigger), 早 (earlier), 多 (more), 少 (fewer).
- Pattern 2 is limited to measurable, gradable adjectives — you cannot say *她漂亮我很多.
- Both patterns are common in written and spoken Chinese at the intermediate-advanced level.
Chinese people frequently compare ages using pattern 2 — 他大我三岁 (He is three years older than me) is a very natural and common way to express age differences. Knowing someone's relative age is culturally important because it determines how you address them (哥/姐 vs. 弟/妹).
Key Vocabulary
Example Sentences
跟上次考试相比，这次没有那么难。
Compared with the last exam, this one was not so hard.
跟别人相比，我的想法太简单了。
Compared with others, my ideas are too simple.
跟语法知识相比，我觉得语音知识更难。
Compared with grammar, I think pronunciation is harder.
她高我五厘米。
She is five centimeters taller than me.
Adj + B + quantity
他早我十分钟。
He arrived ten minutes earlier than me.
Adj + B + quantity
姐姐大我十岁。
My older sister is ten years older than me.
Adj + B + quantity
跟去年相比，今年的物价涨了不少。
Compared with last year, prices have risen quite a bit this year.
他多我两本书。
He has two more books than me.
Adj + B + quantity
Common Mistakes
The standard expression is 跟…相比, not 跟…相比较. While 比较 exists as a word, it does not fit this fixed frame.
The 比 version is also correct, but the compact A + Adj + B + quantity pattern is what you should practice at HSK 5. Note: the taller person should be the subject.
The A + Adj + B + quantity pattern only works with measurable adjectives (height, age, time, amount). For non-measurable adjectives like 漂亮, use the 比 pattern.
Practice Exercises
Tips & Tricks
跟…相比 works great as a sentence opener in essays — it immediately tells the reader what two things you are comparing.
For the compact pattern, memorize common combinations: 大/小 + age, 高/矮 + height, 早/晚 + time, 多/少 + amount.
When you hear 跟…相比 in conversation, pay attention to what comes after — that is the speaker's main point.
Practice the compact pattern with your classmates: 我大你几岁？我高你多少？
Homework
Write four sentences using 跟…相比 (comparing this semester with last semester, your city with another city, two hobbies, two foods) and four sentences using the A + Adj + B + quantity pattern (age, height, arrival time, and number of items).