Make comparisons with 'bù rú' in Chinese

不如 (bùrú) can be used to make comparisons in a similar way as the 比 structure. In its simplest form, 不如 is used to convey that A is 'not as good as' B. Unlike the 比 structure, when used in this way, the adjective or verb can be omitted.

“不如”可用于比较用法，类似“比”结构。在最简单的结构形式里，“不如”用于表达“A is not as good as B”。不同于“比”结构，这种用法里的形容词或动词会被省略。

Simple form

A + 不如 + B

Examples

wǒ gǎn jué kàn diàn yǐng bù rú kàn diàn shì jù.

我感觉看电影不如看电视剧。

I think watching movies isn't as good as watching TV dramas.

wǒ de zhōng wén bù rú tā.

我的中文不如他。

My Chinese is not as good as his.

Complex form

When an adjective or verb is added to the structure it can then be used to mean A is not as 'adjective' as B, or A does not 'verb' as well as B:

当结构里加上形容词或者动词时，它可用于表示“A比不上B…（形容词）”或“A做…（动词）比B不好”。

A (verb) + 不如 + B + adjective/verb

Examples

wǒ bù rú yáo míng gāo.

我不如姚明高。

I am not as tall as Yao Ming.

tā yòng ruǎn jiàn bù rú wǒ yòng de hǎo.

他用软件不如我用得好。

He doesn't use the software as well as I do.

zhè gè yǔ fǎ diǎn bù rú qián miàn de nà gè jiě shì de qīng chǔ.

这个语法点不如前面的那个解释得清楚。

The explanation of this grammar point isn't as clear as the explanation for the last one.

不如 as an adverb

不如 + verb/verb phrase

When facing a choice, 不如 can also be used to mean "might as well" to emphasize the choice is the better of two options. When used like this, it is similar in meaning to 不妨.

在面临选择时，“不如”也可用于表示“might as well”的意思，用以强调该选择好于另一个。这个用法里，它的意思类似“不妨”。

Examples

jì rán yǐ jīng zuò le yī bàn le, nǐ bù rú jiān chí xià qù.

既然已经做了一半了，你不如坚持下去。

You've already done half of it, might as well keep going.

yǔ qí kōng xiǎng, bù rú mǎ shàng xíng dòng.

与其空想，不如马上行动。

Rather than fantasizing, might as well take action right away.

As in the last example sentence, 不如 often occurs in the 与其...不如 structure, meaning "rather than X... might as well Y".

最后一个例句里，“不如”常常出现在“与其…不如…”的结构中，意思是“rather than X… might as well Y”。