有点儿 vs 一点儿: what is the difference?
有点儿 goes before an adjective and means 'a bit too', as in 这个有点儿贵。 一点儿 goes after the adjective and asks for a small change, as in 有没有便宜一点儿的？
| Word | Pinyin | What it does | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 有点儿 | yǒu diǎn | Means 'a bit', and usually points to something unwelcome. | 有点儿 + adj |
| 一点儿 | yì diǎnr | Comes after an adjective or verb to ask for or give a small amount or change. | Adj + 一点儿 / Verb + 一点儿 + Noun |
有点儿 (yǒu diǎn)
Means 'a bit', and usually points to something unwelcome.
Structure: 有点儿 + adj
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我有点儿饿。 | Wǒ yǒu diǎn è. | I am a little hungry. |
| 这件衣服有点儿小。 | Zhè jiàn yī fu yǒu diǎn xiǎo. | This piece of clothing is a bit small. |
| 今天的作业有点儿多。 | Jīn tiān de zuò yè yǒu diǎn duō. | There is a bit too much homework today. |
Not: 这个菜有点儿好吃。 有点儿 usually shows a complaint; for something good use 挺 or 很.
一点儿 (yì diǎnr)
Comes after an adjective or verb to ask for or give a small amount or change.
Structure: Adj + 一点儿 / Verb + 一点儿 + Noun
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 请说慢一点儿。 | Qǐng shuō màn yì diǎnr. | Please speak a little more slowly. |
| 我想喝一点儿水。 | Wǒ xiǎng hē yì diǎnr shuǐ. | I would like to drink a little water. |
| 我想要大一点儿的。 | Wǒ xiǎng yào dà yì diǎnr de. | I would like a slightly bigger one. |
Not: 这件衣服一点儿贵。 Before an adjective, 'a bit too' is 有点儿: 这件衣服有点儿贵。 一点儿 comes after the adjective.
Where this comes from
The comparison is part of Degree Adverbs: 多、多么、更、十分、特别、挺、有点儿 (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 · 更 vs 还 · 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 · 又 vs 再 · all 81 pairs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between 有点儿 and 一点儿?
有点儿 goes before an adjective and means 'a bit too', as in 这个有点儿贵。 一点儿 goes after the adjective and asks for a small change, as in 有没有便宜一点儿的？
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