Language/Yue-chinese/Grammar/Expressing-Comparison
Comparing things is an essential aspect of communication. In Yue Chinese, we use comparative adjectives and adverbs to express comparison. In this lesson, you will learn how to use these components correctly to compare.
Comparative Adjectives
Comparative adjectives are used to compare two things, and they are formed by adding the suffix "-啲 (-dī)" after the adjective. The suffix -啲 (-dī) is usually added to the adjective when we compare two similar things.
Examples:
| Yue Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 好睇 (hóu tài) | /hoː²¹³ tʰaɪ̯⁵⁵/ | good-looking |
| 攞啲好睇 (ló dī hóu tài) | /lɔː²¹³ tiː¹³ hoː²¹³ tʰaɪ̯¹³/ | take the better looking one |
Comparative Adverbs
Comparative adverbs are used to compare two things in terms of time, place, manner, and degree. In Yue Chinese, these adverbs usually have the suffix "-過 (-gwo3)" or "-啲 (-dī)" added to the end. The suffix "-過 (-gwo3)" indicates that the degree or intensity of the adverb is higher in one thing than in the other. The suffix "-啲 (-dī)" indicates that the adverb is higher or lower from the other with a nuance of comparison.
Examples:
| Yue Chinese | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| 慢 (màhn) | /maːn²¹³/ | slowly |
| 慢過 (màhn gwo3) | /maːn²¹³ kʷɔ³³/ | slower |
| 慢D啲 (màhn dī) | /maːn²¹³ di²¹³/ | a little slower |
Comparison Structures
While there are various comparison structures in Yue Chinese, the most common ones are:
- A 比 B 好 (A bǐ B hóu) - A is better than B - A 同 B 一樣好 (A tùhng B yātyhng hóu) - A is as good as B - A 較 B 冇咁好 (A gǎau B mòuh gam hóu) - A is not as good as B
Examples:
- 呢隻餅乾好過呢隻餅 (nī jek bíng gōn hóu gǒu nī jek bíng) - This cookie is better than that one.
- 呢件衫著返去會同呢條裙一樣靚 (nī gin sāam jyuh fāan heui wúi tùhng nī tìu kwàhn yātyhng leng) - If you wear this shirt back, it will be just as pretty as this skirt.
- 我畀你8倍錢，但係佢畀你10倍，佢較我冇咁好 (ngóh bei néih bāak baai chín, dān hài kéui bei néih sap baai, kéui gǎau ngóh mòuh gam hóu) - I gave you 8 times the money but he gave you 10 times, he is better than me.
Irregular Comparison
There are some adjectives and adverbs with irregular comparison forms that you need to memorize:
| Positive | Comparative! ! Superlative | |
|---|---|---|
| 好 (hóu) | 好啲 (hóu dī) | 最好 (jéui hoú) |
| 大 (daai6) | 更大 (gāang daai6) | 最大 (jéui daai6) |
| 多 (dō1) | 更多 (gāang dō1) | 最多 (jéui dō1) |
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to express comparison in Yue Chinese with comparative adjectives and adverbs. Make sure to practice more to become more fluent and confident. Keep up the good work!
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