Meaning
(particle used for comparison and "-er than"); to compare; to contrast; to gesture (with hands); ratio; associate with
Chinese: 比较、比例。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “bi” becomes a different word in each tone. 比 is the 3rd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 比如bǐ rúfor example; for instance; such as
- 比如说bǐ rú shuōfor example
- 比赛bǐ sàicompetition (sports etc); match; to compete
- 比较bǐ jiàoto compare; to contrast; comparatively; relatively
- 相比xiāng bǐto compare
Example Sentence
今天比昨天冷。Jīn tiān bǐ zuó tiān lěng.Today is colder than yesterday.
今天Jīn tiāntoday比bǐcompared to昨天zuó tiānyesterday冷lěngcold。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
Two people standing close together, both facing the same way, set side by side to be measured against each other. It means ‘to compare’.
A way to remember it
Two figures shoulder to shoulder — line them up and compare.
Easy to confuse with
- 北‘North’: two people back to back, not side by side facing the same way.