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Level Independent Chinese · HSK 3

Opinions and Comparisons: 认为, 比较, 更加, 跟…相比 and 多 + Adjective

At A2 you compared things with 比. B1 adds the language of discussion: giving a considered view, saying something is "fairly" or "quite" so, and setting two things side by side in a more formal way.

觉得 vs 认为

觉得 (juéde) is personal and casual: what you feel or think. It's also the only choice for physical sensations. 认为 (rènwéi) is a considered judgement, common in discussion and writing, and sounds more formal.

  • 我觉得有点儿冷。

    Wǒ juéde yǒudiǎnr lěng.

    I feel a bit cold.

  • 你觉得这部电影怎么样？

    Nǐ juéde zhè bù diànyǐng zěnmeyàng?

    What did you think of the film?

  • 我认为这个办法不太好。

    Wǒ rènwéi zhège bànfǎ bú tài hǎo.

    In my view, this approach isn't very good.

Degree words: 比较, 更加, 相当, 较

比较 (bǐjiào) before an adjective means "fairly, relatively", with no explicit comparison. 更加 (gèngjiā) is a fuller form of 更, usually with two-syllable words. 相当 (xiāngdāng) is "quite, considerably". 较 is the written short form of 比较: 较大, 较多.

  • 这家饭馆比较便宜。

    Zhè jiā fànguǎn bǐjiào piányi.

    This restaurant is fairly cheap.

  • 他现在更加努力了。

    Tā xiànzài gèngjiā nǔlì le.

    He works even harder now.

  • 他的中文相当不错。

    Tā de Zhōngwén xiāngdāng búcuò.

    His Chinese is pretty good.

跟…相比, 相似 and 区别

跟 (or 和) A 相比，B 更… sets up a comparison more formally than 比. A 跟 B 很相似 means they're similar; A 跟 B 的区别 is the difference between them.

  • 跟北京相比，上海更热。

    Gēn Běijīng xiāngbǐ, Shànghǎi gèng rè.

    Compared with Beijing, Shanghai is hotter.

  • 这两个词的区别是什么？

    Zhè liǎng ge cí de qūbié shì shénme?

    What's the difference between these two words?

多 + adjective: how tall, how far

多 (duō) + a "positive" adjective asks about size or amount: 多高 (how tall), 多远 (how far), 多重 (how heavy), 多长 (how long), 多大 (how old, how big). 有 can come before it: 有多远？

  • 你多高？——一米七五。

    Nǐ duō gāo? — Yì mǐ qī wǔ.

    How tall are you? — One metre seventy-five.

  • 从这儿到车站有多远？

    Cóng zhèr dào chēzhàn yǒu duō yuǎn?

    How far is it from here to the station?

  • 你今年多大？

    Nǐ jīnnián duō dà?

    How old are you?

Common mistakes

  • ✗我认为有点儿冷。

    ✓我觉得有点儿冷。

    Wǒ juéde yǒudiǎnr lěng.

    Physical sensations take 觉得. 认为 is for reasoned opinions.

  • ✗他比较我高。

    ✓他比我高。

    Tā bǐ wǒ gāo.

    比较 before an adjective means "fairly". To compare two things directly, use 比.

  • ✗你多老？

    ✓你多大？

    Nǐ duō dà?

    Age is asked with 多大. 老 means old in the sense of elderly; to an older person say 您多大年纪？

Questions learners ask

Is 比较 also a verb?

Yes, "to compare": 比较一下这两个 (compare these two). Before an adjective, it's the adverb "fairly".

Why 多高 and not 多矮?

Like English "how tall" (not "how short"), the question uses the neutral, "large" end of the scale. 多矮 sounds like you already think they're short.

Practice this in lessons

The Everyday Chinese lessons teach this step by step, with exercises and review built in.

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