HSK 4Lesson 24
Comparing prices is part of everyday shopping. You will compare the same phone in two shops, look at a coat that has been marked down, hear a friend talk about what his small shop earns, and bargain at a market stall.
You will learn to compare prices and quality, talk about price cuts, costs and earnings, and say that one thing is not as good as another.
Part 1 · 17 new words
Contains 6 words
price
price
low price
high price
goods; merchandise
quality
Contains 6 words
to cut the price
to lower; to reduce
Contains 5 words
cost; expenses
to be worth it; to deserve
Part 2 · 9 phrases
这个手机上个月降价了，比现在贵三百块。
This phone had a price cut last month; it cost $300 more than it does now.
我要低价的，不要高价的。
I want the cheap one, not the expensive one.
价格再降低一点儿，我就买。
If you lower the price a bit more, I'll buy it.
这家商店的商品质量很好，所以不便宜。
The goods in this store are high quality, which is why they aren't cheap.
这个价钱可以，再贵我就不买了。
This price is fine; if it were any higher, I wouldn't buy it.
这个月的费用是上个月的两倍。
This month's expenses are double last month's.
Part 3 · 4 conversations
Li Wen wants a new phone. With Liu Ming, he finds the same phone in two shops at very different prices and decides which shop to buy from.
李文Li Wen
这两家店卖一样的手机，价格差得真多。
These two shops sell the same phone, but the prices are really far apart.
刘明Liu Ming
是啊，这家三千二，那家只要两千五。
Yes, this one charges three thousand two hundred, and that one only two thousand five hundred.
Part 4 · 1 point
比较句 A不如B / 不如
Use A + 不如bùrú + B (+ adjective) to say that A is not as good as B, or not as much as B in some way.
A falls short of B
Use A + 不如bùrú + B, with an optional adjective that says in what way.
to be lower than
to be higher than
times; -fold
not as good as
to be worth (an amount)
to earn; to make a profit
fee; charge
我一个月才赚两千块，这个手机不值得买。
I only earn two thousand a month; this phone isn't worth buying.
坐公交车不如坐地铁快。
Taking the bus isn't as fast as taking the subway.
价格低于一百块的手机，我就能买。
I can buy a phone priced under one hundred yuan.
李文Li Wen
那家卖低价，会不会质量不如这家？
That shop sells at a low price. Could its quality be worse than this one's?
刘明Liu Ming
手机是一样的。这家卖高价，是因为如果手机一年里坏了，可以拿回来免费换新的。
The phone is the same. This shop charges a high price because if the phone breaks within a year, you can bring it back and get a new one free.
李文Li Wen
多花七百块，我觉得不值。我用手机很小心。
Paying seven hundred more, I don't think it's worth it. I'm careful with my phone.
刘明Liu Ming
那就买那家的吧，这七百块还可以买个好一点儿的耳机。
Then buy it from that shop. With that seven hundred you could also get some decent earphones.
李文Li Wen
对，我的耳机早就坏了，正好买个新的。
Right. My earphones broke ages ago, so this is a good chance to get new ones.
Anne is shopping with Liu Xiaoxue for a winter coat with eight hundred yuan to spend. One coat has been marked down; another one costs more.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
你看，这件外套降价了，比上个月便宜了三百。
Look, this coat has been marked down; it's three hundred cheaper than last month.
安妮Anne
现在多少钱？
How much is it now?
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
七百，低于你想花的八百。
Seven hundred, below the eight hundred you wanted to spend.
安妮Anne
旁边那件黑色的呢？我觉得那件更好看。
What about the black one next to it? I think that one looks better.
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
那件是新到的，价钱高于一千，也没有降价。
That one just came in. It costs more than a thousand, and it's not marked down.
安妮Anne
那还是这件吧。你帮我问问服务员，价格能不能再降低一点儿。
Then this one, I guess. Could you ask the assistant whether the price can come down a little more?
刘小雪Liu Xiaoxue
我问了，七百已经是最低价了。
I asked. Seven hundred is already the lowest price.
安妮Anne
没关系，这个价钱也值，我就买这件。
That's fine. It's worth this price, so I'll take this one.
Wang Yixue asks Uncle Zhang, a family friend, how the small snack shop he opened half a year ago is doing, and whether it was worth leaving his office job.
王一雪Wang Yixue
听说您的小吃店开了半年了，怎么样？
I heard your snack shop has been open for half a year. How is it going?
张叔叔Uncle Zhang
还不错，这个月卖了八千，比上个月多了一倍。
Not bad. This month I sold eight thousand, double last month.
王一雪Wang Yixue
这么多！那您赚了多少？
That much! So how much did you make?
张叔叔Uncle Zhang
没有你想的那么多。电费和别的费用加起来要五千。
Not as much as you think. Electricity and other costs add up to five thousand.
王一雪Wang Yixue
那您赚了三千。比您以前上班的时候怎么样？
So you made three thousand. How does that compare with your old office job?
张叔叔Uncle Zhang
钱不如上班的时候多，可是为自己工作，我很高兴。
The money isn't as good as when I had a job, but I'm happy working for myself.
王一雪Wang Yixue
店里的客人越来越多，我看很值得。
You're getting more and more customers. I think it's well worth it.
Anne bargains with a stall owner at a market for two cups and they agree on a price.
安妮Anne
你好，这个杯子多少钱？
Hello, how much is this cup?
卖东西的Stall owner
五十。我这儿的商品质量都很好，你看看，值这个价钱。
Fifty. Everything I sell here is good quality. Have a look; it's worth the price.
安妮Anne
太贵了，这种杯子别的地方三十就能买到。
That's too expensive. You can get this kind of cup for thirty somewhere else.
卖东西的Stall owner
三十可买不到这么好的。不如这样，四十，我再送你一个小盘子。
You won't get one this good for thirty. How about this: forty, and I'll throw in a small plate.
安妮Anne
盘子我不要。三十五一个，我买两个。
I don't need a plate. Thirty-five each and I'll take two.
卖东西的Stall owner
好吧，两个七十，我给你包起来。
All right, two for seventy. I'll wrap them up for you.
钱不如上班的时候多qián bùrú shàngbān de shíhou duō: the money is less than it was in the old job.
Make a suggestion
Put 不如bùrú at the start of a sentence to suggest a better option.
The stall owner uses 不如这样bùrú zhèyàng to make a new offer.
In sentences
Without an adjective
做饭这件事，我不如我妈妈。
When it comes to cooking, I'm not as good as my mom.
With no adjective, 不如bùrú means not as good as.
With an adjective
这家店的价格不如那家便宜，可是质量好多了。
This shop's prices aren't as low as that one's, but the quality is much better.
便宜piányi says in what way; no 很hěn before it.
Comparing people
他学汉语的时间不如你长，可是说得比你好。
He hasn't studied Chinese as long as you, but he speaks it better.
不如bùrú … 长cháng and 比bǐ … 好hǎo in one sentence: never mix them.
Suggestion
外面在下雨，不如我们在家看电影吧。
It's raining outside. How about we stay in and watch a movie?
At the start of a clause, 不如bùrú makes a suggestion.
A：你是坐地铁还是开车去？ B：开车不如坐地铁快，路上总堵车。
A: Will you take the subway or drive? B: Driving is not as fast as the subway; the roads are always jammed.
安妮看了一件打折的大衣，觉得质量不如那件，可是比那件便宜多了。
Anne looked at a coat on sale; she thought the quality wasn't as good as that one, but it was much cheaper.
The pattern A + 不如bùrú + B says that A falls short of B. Used alone, it means not as good as: 这家不如那家zhè jiā bùrú nà jiā, this shop is not as good as that one. Add an adjective after B to say in what way: 钱不如上班的时候多qián bùrú shàngbān de shíhou duō, the money is not as much as when I had a job. The adjective is usually a positive or wanted quality, such as 好hǎo, 多duō, 高gāo or 便宜piányi; people do not normally say 不如他矮bùrú tā ǎi. Do not use 比bǐ with 不如bùrú, and do not put 很hěn or 非常fēicháng before the adjective: say 我不如你高wǒ bùrú nǐ gāo, not 我不如你很高wǒ bùrú nǐ hěn gāo. A separate use: at the start of a sentence, 不如bùrú makes a suggestion, how about or might as well, as in 不如这样bùrú zhèyàng, how about this.
