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对比 (duì bǐ) — to contrast; contrast; ratio

Definition

对比 (duìbǐ) emphasizes putting two things side by side to highlight their differences — stronger and more deliberate than 比 or 比较. As a noun it means the contrast itself. 对照 (HSK 7) is closer in meaning and adds a 'check against a reference' sense.

to contrastcontrastratio
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 对比。
    Qǐng nǐ duì bǐ yí xià zhè liǎng gè dōng xī.
    Please contrast these two things.
  • 对比。
    Zhè liǎng gè fāng àn yǒu míng xiǎn de duì bǐ.
    These two plans have an obvious contrast.
  • 对比。
    Wǒ men xū yào jìn xíng duì bǐ.
    We need to make a comparison.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

对duìcompare
比bǐcompare

Both '对' and '比' mean compare or set against; together they denote placing two things side by side to see differences.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 對; 对 is its simplified writing.

For the traditional form 對, the shape comes from an early drawing of 丵 (a digging tool), 土 (earth), and 又 (a hand); it may have meant developing land.

Open 对 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

  • 匕匕bǐ
  • 匕匕bǐ

比 is two 匕 placed side by side. Chu Wan-li treats both as sound parts, while an old reading takes the side-by-side arrangement as putting things next to each other.

Open 比 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Abstract Concepts

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