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CourseLevel 3Lesson 5
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Contents
01Vocabulary02Songs03Key phrases04Dialogues05Grammar

Level 3 - Lesson 5

这两个差不多

Zhè liǎng ge chàbuduō

These Two Are About the Same

This lesson moves comparison from simple better-or-worse sentences into practical decisions. You will compare two items, point out what is different, and describe appearance with natural degree words.

Two similar blue notebooks compared on a watercolor study desk

Lesson goal

You will learn to compare two options, explain small differences, give examples, and describe how someone or something looks.

Compare options by size, amount, degree, difference, similarity, and how something appears.

  • Compare two items by size and say whether they are about the same.
  • Give an example before explaining what is different.
  • Describe how someone or something looks from appearance.
  • Use moderate and strong degree words while recognizing comparison words in choices.
Contents
01Vocabulary02Songs03Key phrases04Dialogues05Grammar
01

Vocabulary

New words

01

Comparing and Differing

Contains 5 words

比较

bǐjiào·verb/adverb

to compare; fairly

比如

bǐrú·verb/adverb

for example

不同

bùtóng·adjective

different

差

chà·verb/adjective/noun

difference; to differ; poor

差不多

chàbuduō·adjective/adverb

about the same; almost

02

Size and Degree

Contains 4 words

大小

dàxiǎo·noun

size

03

Similarity and Appearance

Contains 5 words

大人

dàren·noun

adult; grown-up

02

Songs

03

Key phrases

我们比较一下大小。

Wǒmen bǐjiào yíxià dàxiǎo.

Let's compare the size.

这两个差不多。

Zhè liǎng ge chàbuduō.

These two are about the same.

哪里不同?

Nǎli bùtóng?

Where are they different?

这个短一点。

Zhège duǎn yìdiǎn.

This one is a little short.

比如这个和那个。

Bǐrú zhège hé nàge.

For example, this one and that one.

04

Dialogues

01

Choosing Pants for Work

Situation: At a clothing shop, one friend needs pants for work; the friends compare two pairs by size and length before choosing one.

0:00 / 0:00
A

白家月

Bai Jiayue

我明天上班穿,这两条裤子哪条比较好?

Wǒ míngtiān shàngbān chuān, zhè liǎng tiáo kùzi nǎ tiáo bǐjiào hǎo?

I need them for work tomorrow. Which pair of pants is better?

05

Grammar

01

Make a description moderate

比较 for "rather/fairly"

Before an adjective, 比较 (bǐjiào) means fairly or rather, not compare.

Patterns

Make a description moderate

Use 比较 (bǐjiào) before an adjective when the description is fairly true, not extreme.

thing described
里面

短

duǎn·adjective

short

好多

hǎoduō·adjective/quantifier phrase

many; a lot

更

gèng·adverb

more; even more

好像

hǎoxiàng·verb/adverb

to seem; as if

像

xiàng·verb/preposition

to resemble; to be like

看起来

kàn qǐlai·verb phrase

to look; to seem

极了

jí le·degree complement

extremely; very

差差一个我Missing One Me1:45
Lyrics & translation for 差一个我41 lines
  1. 好多人来了——安静下来

    A lot of people have come—quiet down.

  2. 我往前你往前,我往左你往左

    I move forward, you move forward; I move left, you move left.

  3. 还没有唱,你已经在学

    I have not even sung yet; you are already copying.

  4. 谁跟谁?现在看

    Who is following whom? Watch now.

  5. 这两个差不多?你说差不多

    These two are almost the same? You say they are almost the same.

  6. 差一个我,还不多?

    You are missing one whole me—isn’t that a lot?

  7. 你更像我,怎么更不像你?

    You look more like me; how do you look even less like yourself?

  8. 不唱好像是你,一唱还是我

    When we do not sing, it seems like you; once we sing, it is still me.

  9. 快——你也快;慢——你也慢

    Fast—you are fast too; slow—you are slow too.

  10. 我不动,你也不动,谁在前面?

    I do not move; you do not move either. Who is in front?

  11. 我唱错一次,你也错一次

    I sing it wrong once; you get it wrong once too.

  12. 我的错你也学——这就不同

    You copy even my mistake—that is the difference.

  13. 我的错也要?认真极了

    You want even my mistake? Extremely diligent.

  14. 谁学得最像?比如你

    Who copies me most closely? You, for example.

  15. 看起来像大人,学我像孩子

    You look like an adult; you copy me like a child.

  16. 你比较忙——忙着学我

    You are fairly busy—busy copying me.

  17. 你唱完,大家还在等;等谁?你清楚

    You finish singing; everyone is still waiting. Waiting for whom? You know.

  18. 这两个差不多?你说差不多

    These two are almost the same? You say they are almost the same.

  19. 差一个我,还不多?

    You are missing one whole me—isn’t that a lot?

  20. 你更像我,怎么更不像你?

    You look more like me; how do you look even less like yourself?

  21. 不唱好像是你,一唱还是我

    When we do not sing, it seems like you; once we sing, it is still me.

  22. 你的歌长,我的歌短

    Your song is long; mine is short.

  23. 我不唱,大家跟着唱

    I do not sing; everyone sings along.

  24. 唱谁的?我的——你清楚

    Whose are they singing? Mine—you know.

  25. 你叫好多人来,都在学我

    You call a lot of people over; they are all copying me.

  26. 好多个你,还是差一个我

    So many yous, still missing one me.

  27. 房间,还是那个大小

    The room is still that same size.

  28. 人没有少——离你更远

    There are no fewer people—they are farther away from you.

  29. 你想比我大,怎么还在后面?

    You want to be bigger than me; why are you still behind me?

  30. 现在——不唱

    Now—not singing.

  31. 时间——都给你

    The time—all for you.

  32. 没有我在前面,你唱什么?

    Without me in front, what do you sing?

  33. 唱来唱去,还是我唱过的

    You sing around and around, still singing what I sang before.

  34. 大家不跟你,只等我回来

    No one follows you; they are only waiting for me to return.

  35. 这两个差不多?你说差不多

    These two are almost the same? You say they are almost the same.

  36. 差一个我,还不多?

    You are missing one whole me—isn’t that a lot?

  37. 你更像我,怎么更不像你?

    You look more like me; how do you look even less like yourself?

  38. 不唱好像是你,一唱还是我

    When we do not sing, it seems like you; once we sing, it is still me.

  39. 你更像我

    You look more like me.

  40. 怎么更不像你?

    How do you look even less like yourself?

  41. 怎么更不像你?

    How do you look even less like yourself?

差很多吗?

Chà hěn duō ma?

Do they differ a lot?

一点也不短。

Yìdiǎn yě bù duǎn.

It is not short at all.

外面人好多。

Wàimiàn rén hǎoduō.

There are so many people outside.

里面比较安静。

Lǐmiàn bǐjiào ānjìng.

Inside is fairly quiet.

里面更好吗?

Lǐmiàn gèng hǎo ma?

Is inside better?

他看起来像大人。

Tā kàn qǐlai xiàng dàren.

He looks like a grown-up.

好像更高。

Hǎoxiàng gèng gāo.

He seems taller.

看起来好极了。

Kàn qǐlai hǎo jí le.

It looks excellent.

B

安妮

Annie

我们比较一下大小吧。

Wǒmen bǐjiào yíxià dàxiǎo ba.

Let's compare the sizes.

A

白家月

Bai Jiayue

看起来大小差不多,哪儿不同?

Kàn qǐlai dàxiǎo chàbuduō, nǎr bùtóng?

The sizes look about the same. What's different?

B

安妮

Annie

这条短一点,那条长一点。那条上班穿更好。

Zhè tiáo duǎn yìdiǎn, nà tiáo cháng yìdiǎn. Nà tiáo shàngbān chuān gèng hǎo.

This pair is a little shorter, and that pair is a little longer. That pair is better for work.

A

白家月

Bai Jiayue

好,我买那条。

Hǎo, wǒ mǎi nà tiáo.

Okay. I'll buy that pair.

02

Choosing the Better Outfit

Situation: At a clothing shop, one friend tries two outfits and asks which creates the more grown-up look before buying one.

0:00 / 0:00
B

王一雪

Wang Yixue

这件和那件,你觉得哪件好?

Zhè jiàn hé nà jiàn, nǐ juéde nǎ jiàn hǎo?

This one or that one—which do you think is better?

A

白家月

Bai Jiayue

这件更好。你穿这件看起来像大人。

Zhè jiàn gèng hǎo. Nǐ chuān zhè jiàn kàn qǐlai xiàng dàren.

This one is better. You look like a grown-up in it.

B

王一雪

Wang Yixue

我也觉得,好像比穿那件的时候高一点。

Wǒ yě juéde, hǎoxiàng bǐ chuān nà jiàn de shíhou gāo yìdiǎn.

I think so too. I seem a little taller than when I wear that one.

A

白家月

Bai Jiayue

对,这件好极了。

Duì, zhè jiàn hǎo jí le.

Yes, this one is excellent.

B

王一雪

Wang Yixue

那我就买这件吧。

Nà wǒ jiù mǎi zhè jiàn ba.

Then I'll buy this one.

03

Matching a Pair That Already Fits

Situation: At a clothing shop, one friend compares two pairs of pants with the specific pair the shopper is currently wearing and recommends one.

0:00 / 0:00
A

王一雪

Wang Yixue

这条和我现在穿的裤子,大小差不多吗?

Zhè tiáo hé wǒ xiànzài chuān de kùzi, dàxiǎo chàbuduō ma?

Is this pair about the same size as the pants I'm wearing now?

B

安妮

Annie

差不多,一点也不短。

Chàbuduō, yìdiǎn yě bù duǎn.

It is about the same; it is not short at all.

A

王一雪

Wang Yixue

那条呢?

Nà tiáo ne?

What about that pair?

B

安妮

Annie

那条比较短,和你现在穿的差很多。买这条吧。

Nà tiáo bǐjiào duǎn, hé nǐ xiànzài chuān de chà hěn duō. Mǎi zhè tiáo ba.

That pair is fairly short and differs a lot from the pair you're wearing now. Buy this pair.

A

王一雪

Wang Yixue

好,我买这条。

Hǎo, wǒ mǎi zhè tiáo.

Okay. I'll buy this pair.

04

Choosing the Quieter Place

Situation: Two friends compare the crowd outside and the quieter inside place, then decide where to go.

0:00 / 0:00
A

白家月

Bai Jiayue

外面人好多。

Wàimiàn rén hǎoduō.

There are so many people outside.

B

王一雪

Wang Yixue

里面比较安静。

Lǐmiàn bǐjiào ānjìng.

Inside is fairly quiet.

A

白家月

Bai Jiayue

里面更好吗?

Lǐmiàn gèng hǎo ma?

Is inside better?

B

王一雪

Wang Yixue

更好,外面热极了,我们进去吧。

Gèng hǎo, wàimiàn rè jí le, wǒmen jìnqù ba.

It is better. Outside is extremely hot; let's go in.

Name what you are describing when needed.
moderate-degree word
比较
Shows the quality is fairly or rather true.
quality
安静
Say the quality being described.

In 里面比较安静 (lǐmiàn bǐjiào ānjìng), 比较 (bǐjiào) means fairly, not compare.

Forms
Moderate place description

比较 (bǐjiào) makes 安静 (ānjìng) a moderate judgment rather than an extreme one.

里面比较安静。

Lǐmiàn bǐjiào ānjìng.

Inside is fairly quiet.

Moderate option judgment

比较 (bǐjiào) softens 好 (hǎo) so the speaker gives a measured opinion.

这个比较好。

Zhège bǐjiào hǎo.

This one is fairly good.

Moderate clothing description

比较 (bǐjiào) marks 短 (duǎn) as fairly true, which fits a comparison between clothing choices.

这件衣服比较短。

Zhè jiàn yīfu bǐjiào duǎn.

This piece of clothing is rather short.

Examples

里面比较安静。

Lǐmiàn bǐjiào ānjìng.

Inside is fairly quiet.

这个比较好。

Zhège bǐjiào hǎo.

This one is fairly good.

In the dialogues

Dialogue 04: Choosing the Quieter Place, Turn 2

Moderate description

里面比较安静。

Lǐmiàn bǐjiào ānjìng.

Inside is fairly quiet.

Why it matters

比较安静 (bǐjiào ānjìng) gives a moderate judgment before the speakers decide to go inside.

Full explanation

比较 (bǐjiào) can be a verb meaning compare, as in 我们比较一下 (wǒmen bǐjiào yíxià). Before an adjective, it becomes a degree word: 里面比较安静 (lǐmiàn bǐjiào ānjìng) means inside is fairly quiet.

02

Say how something looks

看起来 for appearance judgments

Use 看起来 (kàn qǐlai) before a description when the judgment comes from appearance.

Patterns

Mark an appearance judgment

Use 看起来 (kàn qǐlai) before the description that comes from looking.

person or thing observed
小李
Name who or what you are judging by appearance.
appearance frame
看起来
Shows the description is based on what the speaker sees.
visual description
像大人
Say what the person or thing looks like in this lesson phrase.

In 小李看起来像大人 (Xiǎo Lǐ kàn qǐlai xiàng dàren), 看起来 (kàn qǐlai) frames 像大人 (xiàng dàren) as a visual judgment, not a confirmed identity.

Forms
Appearance resemblance

看起来 (kàn qǐlai) frames 像大人 (xiàng dàren) as what the speaker sees.

他看起来像大人。

Tā kàn qǐlai xiàng dàren.

He looks like a grown-up.

Appearance plus strong judgment

看起来 (kàn qǐlai) introduces a visual judgment before the strong phrase 好极了 (hǎo jí le).

看起来好极了。

Kàn qǐlai hǎo jí le.

It looks excellent.

Appearance plus moderate description

看起来 (kàn qǐlai) shows the judgment comes from appearance, and 比较 (bǐjiào) keeps it moderate.

这件衣服看起来比较短。

Zhè jiàn yīfu kàn qǐlai bǐjiào duǎn.

This piece of clothing looks rather short.

Examples

他看起来像大人。

Tā kàn qǐlai xiàng dàren.

He looks like a grown-up.

看起来好极了。

Kàn qǐlai hǎo jí le.

It looks excellent.

In the dialogues

Dialogue 02: Choosing the Better Outfit, Turn 1

Appearance judgment

你看,小李看起来像大人。

Nǐ kàn, Xiǎo Lǐ kàn qǐlai xiàng dàren.

Look, Xiao Li looks like a grown-up.

Why it matters

看起来 (kàn qǐlai) shows the description is based on what A sees; 像大人 (xiàng dàren) is the phrase that gives the visual comparison.

Full explanation

看起来 (kàn qǐlai) frames the next description as something the speaker notices by looking. In 你看,小李看起来像大人 (nǐ kàn, Xiǎo Lǐ kàn qǐlai xiàng dàren), 看起来 (kàn qǐlai) tells the learner this is an appearance judgment; 像大人 (xiàng dàren) is the lesson phrase that says what Xiao Li resembles.

03

Make a description very strong

Adjective + 极了 for extremes

Put 极了 (jí le) after an adjective to say the quality is extremely strong.

Patterns

Make the adjective very strong

Put 极了 (jí le) after an adjective to show an extreme degree.

quality
热
Name the quality that is extremely strong.
extreme-degree ending
极了
Makes the quality much stronger.

In 外面热极了 (wàimiàn rè jí le), 热极了 (rè jí le) gives a strong reason to go inside.

Forms
Strong praise

极了 (jí le) follows 好 (hǎo) to make the praise very strong.

好极了。

Hǎo jí le.

Excellent.

Strong reason

极了 (jí le) follows 热 (rè) to give a strong reason for choosing another place.

热极了。

Rè jí le.

Extremely hot.

Strong difficulty

极了 (jí le) follows 难 (nán) when the speaker wants a much stronger description than 难 (nán) alone.

难极了。

Nán jí le.

Extremely difficult.

Examples

看起来好极了。

Kàn qǐlai hǎo jí le.

It looks excellent.

外面热极了。

Wàimiàn rè jí le.

Outside is extremely hot.

In the dialogues

Dialogue 02: Choosing the Better Outfit, Turn 4

Strong praise

对,看起来好极了。

Duì, kàn qǐlai hǎo jí le.

Right, he looks excellent.

Why it matters

好极了 (hǎo jí le) makes B's praise strong instead of just saying good.

Dialogue 04: Choosing the Quieter Place, Turn 4

Strong reason to move

更好,外面热极了,我们进去吧。

Gèng hǎo, wàimiàn rè jí le, wǒmen jìnqù ba.

It is better. Outside is extremely hot; let's go in.

Why it matters

热极了 (rè jí le) gives a strong reason for choosing the inside place.

Full explanation

极了 (jí le) follows an adjective and makes the description much stronger. In 对,看起来好极了 (duì, kàn qǐlai hǎo jí le), B gives strong praise. In 外面热极了 (wàimiàn rè jí le), the heat becomes the reason to go inside.