Level 3 - Lesson 5
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.

Contains 5 words
to compare; fairly
for example
different
difference; to differ; poor
about the same; almost
Contains 4 words
size
Contains 5 words
adult; grown-up
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.
Situation: At a clothing shop, one friend needs pants for work; the friends compare two pairs by size and length before choosing one.
白家月
Bai Jiayue
我明天上班穿,这两条裤子哪条比较好?
I need them for work tomorrow. Which pair of pants is better?
比较 for "rather/fairly"
Before an adjective, 比较 (bǐjiào) means fairly or rather, not compare.
Make a description moderate
Use 比较 (bǐjiào) before an adjective when the description is fairly true, not extreme.
short
many; a lot
more; even more
to seem; as if
to resemble; to be like
to look; to seem
extremely; very
好多人来了——安静下来
A lot of people have come—quiet down.
我往前你往前,我往左你往左
I move forward, you move forward; I move left, you move left.
还没有唱,你已经在学
I have not even sung yet; you are already copying.
谁跟谁?现在看
Who is following whom? Watch now.
这两个差不多?你说差不多
These two are almost the same? You say they are almost the same.
差一个我,还不多?
You are missing one whole me—isn’t that a lot?
你更像我,怎么更不像你?
You look more like me; how do you look even less like yourself?
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.
快——你也快;慢——你也慢
Fast—you are fast too; slow—you are slow too.
我不动,你也不动,谁在前面?
I do not move; you do not move either. Who is in front?
我唱错一次,你也错一次
I sing it wrong once; you get it wrong once too.
我的错你也学——这就不同
You copy even my mistake—that is the difference.
我的错也要?认真极了
You want even my mistake? Extremely diligent.
谁学得最像?比如你
Who copies me most closely? You, for example.
看起来像大人,学我像孩子
You look like an adult; you copy me like a child.
你比较忙——忙着学我
You are fairly busy—busy copying me.
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.
这两个差不多?你说差不多
These two are almost the same? You say they are almost the same.
差一个我,还不多?
You are missing one whole me—isn’t that a lot?
你更像我,怎么更不像你?
You look more like me; how do you look even less like yourself?
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.
你的歌长,我的歌短
Your song is long; mine is short.
我不唱,大家跟着唱
I do not sing; everyone sings along.
唱谁的?我的——你清楚
Whose are they singing? Mine—you know.
你叫好多人来,都在学我
You call a lot of people over; they are all copying me.
好多个你,还是差一个我
So many yous, still missing one me.
房间,还是那个大小
The room is still that same size.
人没有少——离你更远
There are no fewer people—they are farther away from you.
你想比我大,怎么还在后面?
You want to be bigger than me; why are you still behind me?
现在——不唱
Now—not singing.
时间——都给你
The time—all for you.
没有我在前面,你唱什么?
Without me in front, what do you sing?
唱来唱去,还是我唱过的
You sing around and around, still singing what I sang before.
大家不跟你,只等我回来
No one follows you; they are only waiting for me to return.
这两个差不多?你说差不多
These two are almost the same? You say they are almost the same.
差一个我,还不多?
You are missing one whole me—isn’t that a lot?
你更像我,怎么更不像你?
You look more like me; how do you look even less like yourself?
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.
你更像我
You look more like me.
怎么更不像你?
How do you look even less like yourself?
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.
安妮
Annie
我们比较一下大小吧。
Let's compare the sizes.
白家月
Bai Jiayue
看起来大小差不多,哪儿不同?
The sizes look about the same. What's different?
安妮
Annie
这条短一点,那条长一点。那条上班穿更好。
This pair is a little shorter, and that pair is a little longer. That pair is better for work.
白家月
Bai Jiayue
好,我买那条。
Okay. I'll buy that pair.
Situation: At a clothing shop, one friend tries two outfits and asks which creates the more grown-up look before buying one.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
这件和那件,你觉得哪件好?
This one or that one—which do you think is better?
白家月
Bai Jiayue
这件更好。你穿这件看起来像大人。
This one is better. You look like a grown-up in it.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
我也觉得,好像比穿那件的时候高一点。
I think so too. I seem a little taller than when I wear that one.
白家月
Bai Jiayue
对,这件好极了。
Yes, this one is excellent.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
那我就买这件吧。
Then I'll buy this one.
Situation: At a clothing shop, one friend compares two pairs of pants with the specific pair the shopper is currently wearing and recommends one.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
这条和我现在穿的裤子,大小差不多吗?
Is this pair about the same size as the pants I'm wearing now?
安妮
Annie
差不多,一点也不短。
It is about the same; it is not short at all.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
那条呢?
What about that pair?
安妮
Annie
那条比较短,和你现在穿的差很多。买这条吧。
That pair is fairly short and differs a lot from the pair you're wearing now. Buy this pair.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
好,我买这条。
Okay. I'll buy this pair.
Situation: Two friends compare the crowd outside and the quieter inside place, then decide where to go.
白家月
Bai Jiayue
外面人好多。
There are so many people outside.
王一雪
Wang Yixue
里面比较安静。
Inside is fairly quiet.
白家月
Bai Jiayue
里面更好吗?
Is inside better?
王一雪
Wang Yixue
更好,外面热极了,我们进去吧。
It is better. Outside is extremely hot; let's go in.
In 里面比较安静 (lǐmiàn bǐjiào ānjìng), 比较 (bǐjiào) means fairly, not compare.
比较 (bǐjiào) makes 安静 (ānjìng) a moderate judgment rather than an extreme one.
里面比较安静。
Inside is fairly quiet.
比较 (bǐjiào) softens 好 (hǎo) so the speaker gives a measured opinion.
这个比较好。
This one is fairly good.
比较 (bǐjiào) marks 短 (duǎn) as fairly true, which fits a comparison between clothing choices.
这件衣服比较短。
This piece of clothing is rather short.
里面比较安静。
Inside is fairly quiet.
这个比较好。
This one is fairly good.
Dialogue 04: Choosing the Quieter Place, Turn 2
Moderate description
里面比较安静。
Inside is fairly quiet.
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.
看起来 for appearance judgments
Use 看起来 (kàn qǐlai) before a description when the judgment comes from appearance.
Mark an appearance judgment
Use 看起来 (kàn qǐlai) before the description that comes from looking.
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.
看起来 (kàn qǐlai) frames 像大人 (xiàng dàren) as what the speaker sees.
他看起来像大人。
He looks like a grown-up.
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。
It looks excellent.
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。
This piece of clothing looks rather short.
他看起来像大人。
He looks like a grown-up.
看起来好极了。
It looks excellent.
Dialogue 02: Choosing the Better Outfit, Turn 1
Appearance judgment
你看,小李看起来像大人。
Look, Xiao Li looks like a grown-up.
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.
Adjective + 极了 for extremes
Put 极了 (jí le) after an adjective to say the quality is extremely strong.
Make the adjective very strong
Put 极了 (jí le) after an adjective to show an extreme degree.
In 外面热极了 (wàimiàn rè jí le), 热极了 (rè jí le) gives a strong reason to go inside.
极了 (jí le) follows 好 (hǎo) to make the praise very strong.
好极了。
Excellent.
极了 (jí le) follows 热 (rè) to give a strong reason for choosing another place.
热极了。
Extremely hot.
极了 (jí le) follows 难 (nán) when the speaker wants a much stronger description than 难 (nán) alone.
难极了。
Extremely difficult.
看起来好极了。
It looks excellent.
外面热极了。
Outside is extremely hot.
Dialogue 02: Choosing the Better Outfit, Turn 4
Strong praise
对,看起来好极了。
Right, he looks excellent.
Dialogue 04: Choosing the Quieter Place, Turn 4
Strong reason to move
更好,外面热极了,我们进去吧。
It is better. Outside is extremely hot; let's go in.
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.