Chinese Grammar: Use 一样 & 没有 to compare

Do you guys remember how to compare something with 比? Since you guys are so cool at learning Chinese, it’s time to show you two other simple patterns you can use to compare things in Mandarin Chinese.

一样 to compare things that are the same

一样 means “the same”, “identical”. It is therefore used to compare things you think are the same in some way.

Structure

Subject/Noun (A) + 和 / 跟 + Subject / Noun (B) + Verb + 一样

In this comparison structure, 一样 is paired with either 和, which means “and” or with 跟, which here means “as”. To compare two elements, you only need to place each item you find similar and wish to compare on either side of 和(跟) and then add一样 at the end. 和 and 跟 can be used interchangeably in this structure and are used to link the two elements together, while 一样 indicates you find them the same.

Examples

我和你一样。
I am the same as you.

这 本 书和那 本 书一样。
This book is the same as that book.

上海跟北京一样吗？
Are Shanghai and Beijing the same?

More specific comparisons with 一样

You can also add an adjective after 一样 to make your comparison more specific.

Structure

Noun (A) + 和 / 跟 + Noun (B)+ verb + 一样 + adjective

Examples

我跟你一样高兴。
I am as happy as you.

妈妈 做 的 菜和饭店 做 的 菜一样好吃。
The dishes made by my mom are as tasty as in a restaurant.

你 这 话说 了跟没 说一样。
What you said doesn't make any sense.

Comparing elements with 没有

Another way to compare elements is to use 没有. You use 没有 to talk about things that are “not as”something “as” something else, in the following pattern: 没有……那么(这么). This structure is the complete opposite of a comparison with 比 which, as you remember, is used to express that something is “more than” something else.

Structure

Noun A + 没有/没 + Noun B ( + 那么 / 这么 ) + adjective

To use this pattern, place the two elements you wish to compare on either side of 没有 and end your comparison with an adjective. The noun you place first will be the lesser adjective, the one “not as” the second noun. 那么(which means like that, so) or 这么(so much, this way, like this) can be added before the adjective to reinforce the comparison.

You can also choose to leave out the 有 in this pattern.

Examples

他没有大家 想 的那么差劲。
He is not as bad as we thought.

这 块 蛋糕没有 那么甜。
This cake is not that sweet.

汉语没有你 想 的那么难 学。
Learning Chinese isn't as difficult as you think.

Now that you've learned about 一样 and 没有, two new ways to compare, and since you already know how to use 比 like a pro, you can now compare all sorts of things and say that A > B, A = B and A < B. Isn't that great?

In the structure 和（跟）… 一样, by adding a little word, 几乎 before 一样, you can easily say that something is “almost or nearly as” something else, to show that the two things are really quite similar to each other. For example, 她 长得 和 她 姐姐 几乎 一样。She looks almost the same as her elder sister.