比较 (bǐ jiào) — to compare; relatively, comparatively, quite, r…

Definition

比较 covers two roles: a verb meaning 'to compare' things side by side, and an adverb meaning 'relatively, fairly' (比较冷 = fairly cold). 相比 is more formal/literary for the verb sense; 相当 is a stronger 'quite'.

to comparerelativelycomparativelyquiterather

Examples

比较。
Qǐng bǐ jiào zhè liǎng běn shū de jià gé.
Please compare the prices of these two books.
比较，。
Jīn tiān bǐ jiào lěng, duō chuān diǎn yī fu.
It's relatively cold today, so wear more clothes.
比较。
Zhè ge shǒu jī bǐ jiào pián yi.
This phone is quite cheap.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

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

比bǐcompare

较jiàocompare

比 and 较 both mean to compare, so together they form the general sense of comparison.

Characters in this word

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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 較; 较 is its simplified writing.

車交較

Meaning part形符xíngfú

車車jūvehicle

Sound part声符shēngfú

交

交jiāo較jiào

Same sound today

In the traditional form 較, 車 (vehicle) gives the sense and 交 gives the sound; the simplified 较 is a later abbreviation.

Open 较 →