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比

bǐ
HSK 2
#199 most
frequent character
"(particle used for comparison and ""-er than"")
verb
preposition

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

比 shows two spoons 匕 nested together, so it first meant 'to come very close'. 匕 also supplies the sound. From there came 'to compare, contrast' and 'proportion; ratio'. It is also read bì.

Drawn as: two spoons nested

比 as a component in other characters

meaning1 character
毖
sound19 characters
批毕屁毙庇毗琵砒蓖吡纰枇蚍妣秕貔
picture2 characters
篦坒

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Example Sentences

这本书比那本书便宜。
zhè běn shū bǐ nàběnshū piányí 。
This book is cheaper than that book.
他比我高。
tā bǐ wǒ gāo 。
He is taller than me.
这两种水果的味道比起来，苹果比较酸。
zhè liǎng zhǒng shuǐguǒ de wèidào bǐqǐlái ， píngguǒ bǐjiào suān 。
Comparing these two types of fruit, the apple is more sour.

Same Characters, Different Readings

比bī
euphemistic variant of 屄[bi1]

Words with similar meanings

比较bǐjiào
to compare
More formal and often used in written contexts.
对比duìbǐ
to contrast
Focuses more on showing differences between items.

Words Starting With 比

比赛bǐ sài
"competition (sports etc); match
比较bǐ jiào
compare; contrast; fairly; comparatively; relatively; quite; rather
比例bǐ lì
proportion; scale
比如bǐ rú
for example; for instance; such as
比喻bǐ yù
metaphor; analogy; figure of speech; figuratively

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Public Lists with 比

HSK 2
All words for the HSK 2 test

Homophones

笔bǐ
pen
彼bǐ
that, those, (one) another

Grammar Points

HSK 2
Basic comparisons with "bi"比…更
HSK 5
Basic comparisons with "bu bi"
HSK 2
Expressing "much more" in comparisons比…得多比…多了
HSK 3
Expressing "compared with" using "gen"跟…比起来