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liánhéSide by side

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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