更 vs 还: what is the difference?
更 states a plain fact about more of the quality. 还 often hints surprise, as in 今天比昨天还冷, where yesterday was already cold.
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 更 | gèng | Adds 'even more' in front of the adjective after 比. | A + 比 + B + 更 + adj |
| 还 | hái | Adds 'even more' with a feeling of surprise, because B already has the quality. | A + 比 + B + 还 + adj |
更 (gèng)
Adds 'even more' in front of the adjective after 比.
Structure: A + 比 + B + 更 + adj
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我想买一个更大的书包。 | Wǒ xiǎng mǎi yí gè gèng dà de shū bāo. | I want to buy a bigger school bag. |
| 他比我更喜欢游泳。 | Tā bǐ wǒ gèng xǐ huan yóu yǒng. | He likes swimming even more than I do. |
| 北京的冬天比上海的更冷。 | Běi jīng de dōng tiān bǐ shàng hǎi de gèng lěng. | Winter in Beijing is even colder than in Shanghai. |
Not: 他比我很高。 Never put 很 after 比; use 更 or 还 instead.
还 (hái)
Adds 'even more' with a feeling of surprise, because B already has the quality.
Structure: A + 比 + B + 还 + adj
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 今天比昨天还热。 | Jīn tiān bǐ zuó tiān hái rè. | Today is even hotter than yesterday. |
| 这本书比那本还厚。 | Zhè běn shū bǐ nà běn hái hòu. | This book is even thicker than that one. |
| 他比老师还忙。 | Tā bǐ lǎo shī hái máng. | He is even busier than the teacher. |
Not: 弟弟比我还很高。 Do not add 很 after 还 either, because 还 already carries the degree.
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of Comparison with 比: A比B + adj/更/还 (HSK 2) in the grammar reference, which has the full explanation, more worked examples, and what to learn before and after it.
More pairs: 次 vs 遍 · 刚 vs 刚才 · 还 vs 已经 · 看见 vs 看到 · 可以 vs 能 · 吗 vs 吧 · 吗 vs 是不是 · 如果 vs 只要 · 上去 vs 上来 · 往 vs 向 · 有点儿 vs 一点儿 · 又 vs 再 · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 更 and 还 after 比?
更 states a plain fact about more of the quality. 还 often hints surprise, as in 今天比昨天还冷, where yesterday was already cold.
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