2 · Comparison
Not as … as: méiyǒu … nàme
the negative comparison
A méiyǒu B (nàme) and an adjective says that A does not come up to B.
To say that A is less than B, Chinese does not put a negative into the 比 sentence. It says that A does not reach B: 我没有他高, “I am not as tall as him”. The word order is the same as with 比 — A, the comparing word, B, adjective — so the pattern costs nothing new to learn.
Before the adjective you may add 那么 (“that”) or 这么 (“this”), much as English says “not that tall”: 我没有他那么高. 那么 is the usual choice; 这么 fits when B is close at hand — the speaker, or something in front of you. 很 is ruled out here for the same reason as in a 比 sentence.
Why 没有 and not 不? Here 有 means “to reach, to measure up to”: B sets the standard, and A does not have it. This 没有 has nothing to do with the past. The positive version appears in questions: 他有你这么高吗？, “is he as tall as you?”. In quick speech 没有 is often shortened to 没.
English “not taller than” is ambiguous, and Chinese splits it in two. 我没有他高 states a fact: he is taller. 我不比他高 rejects a claim: whoever said I was taller is wrong — we may well be the same height. The mistake to avoid is putting 不 before the adjective in a 比 sentence, which does not work.
The form
| not as tall as | 我没有他高。 |
| with nàme: not that tall | 我没有他那么高。 |
| quick speech: méi alone | 我没他高。 |
| a question: as tall as? | 他有你这么高吗？ |
| comparing how something is done | 我跑得没有他快。 |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
To say that A is less than B, put 没有 where 比 would stand.
今天没有昨天冷。Today is not as cold as yesterday.
那么 or 这么 may stand before the adjective; 很 may not.
这本书没有那本那么有意思。This book is not as interesting as that one.
In a question, use 有: does A come up to B?
你弟弟有你这么高吗？Is your younger brother as tall as you?
With a verb and 得, the 没有 phrase usually comes after 得.
我做得没有她好。I don't do it as well as she does.
A closer look
Bù bǐ and méiyǒu: two different “not”s
不比 answers somebody. If a friend says 他比你高吧？, you can reply 他不比我高，我们一样高 — the claim is wrong, we are the same. 没有 states a fact without arguing with anyone: 我没有他高 simply means that he is taller.
The adjective after 没有 is normally the “more” end of a scale: 高, 大, 快, 好. That makes the pattern a tactful way of saying something unflattering: 我没有他高 sounds kinder than 我比他矮, and 这个房间没有那个大 is a gentler way to say a room is small.
How to spot it
- 没有…那么
- 没…这么
- 有…那么…吗
Example sentences
上海的冬天没有北京的冷。Winter in Shanghai is not as cold as in Beijing.
我的中文没有你的那么好。My Chinese is not as good as yours.
坐公交车没有骑自行车快。Taking the bus is not as fast as cycling.
这家店没有你说的那么贵。This shop is not as expensive as you said.
他唱得没有他妹妹好。He doesn't sing as well as his younger sister.
今天的雨没昨天那么大。Today's rain is not as heavy as yesterday's.
7 more example sentences
我家没有你家大。My home is not as big as yours.
这部电影没有那部那么长。This film is not as long as that one.
他跑得没有我快。He doesn't run as fast as I do.
今年的冬天没去年冷。This winter is not as cold as last year's.
你的房间有我的这么乱吗？Is your room as messy as mine?
小城市的生活没有大城市那么紧张。Life in a small town is not as hectic as in a big city.
我的字没有她的好看。My handwriting is not as neat as hers.
Worth knowing (1)
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Not as … as you think
B does not have to be a person or a thing. It can be a whole phrase with 的, and the favourite one is 你想的, “what you imagine”.
中文没有你想的那么难。Chinese is not as hard as you think.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
English can say “I am less tall” or “not as tall”, and the first attempt in Chinese is often to keep 比 and negate the adjective. A 比 sentence cannot do that. To say that A falls short of B, swap 比 for 没有 and keep everything else in place.
Less than is méiyǒu, not bǐ with bù: wǒ méiyǒu tā gāo.
Your turn
9 exercises on this topic. Your answers are checked in the browser; none of them leaves your device.