Comparison Sentences: 跟…相比
跟…相比 = 'compared with…', introduces the baseline for a comparison at the start of a sentence: 跟去年相比，今年的销量增加了很多。(Compared to last year, this year's sales increased a lot.)
Position: 跟 + [baseline noun phrase] + 相比，+ [comparison result, often with 更/比较/明显].
相比之下 = 'by comparison' — used to introduce a new clause without repeating 跟…, once a baseline is already established:
跟弟弟相比，他更爱运动；相比之下，弟弟更喜欢安静地看书。
Common mistake: confusing 相比 with 一样/相同 (which mean 'the same as', from 跟…一样) — 相比 introduces a comparison of degree/change, not sameness.
Worked examples
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | What it shows |
|---|---|---|---|
| 跟去年相比，今年的销量增加了很多。 | Gēn qù nián xiāng bǐ, jīn nián de xiāo liàng zēng jiā le hěn duō. | Compared to last year, this year's sales have increased a lot. | Basic 跟…相比 frame: baseline (去年) + result (销量增加了很多). |
| 跟以前相比，他变化很大，现在更加自信了。 | Gēn yǐ qián xiāng bǐ, tā biàn huà hěn dà, xiàn zài gèng jiā zì xìn le. | Compared to before, he has changed a lot — he's more confident now. | Adds a two-part result: general change (变化很大) plus a specific detail (更加自信了). |
| 跟弟弟相比，他更喜欢运动。 | Gēn dì di xiāng bǐ, tā gèng xǐ huan yùn dòng. | Compared to his younger brother, he likes sports more. | Comparing two people instead of two time periods. |
| 跟弟弟相比，他更爱运动；相比之下，弟弟更喜欢安静地看书。 | Gēn dì di xiāng bǐ, tā gèng ài yùn dòng; xiāng bǐ zhī xià, dì di gèng xǐ huan ān jìng de kàn shū. | Compared to his brother, he loves sports more; by comparison, his brother prefers quietly reading. | Combines 跟…相比 with 相比之下 to introduce a second, contrasting clause. |
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