Chinese word

好比

Pronunciation

Pinyinhǎo bǐ

Meaning

  • verbcompare to

Example

我常把考试好比一场战斗。wǒ cháng bǎ kǎo shì háo bǐ yì cháng zhàn dòu

I often compare an exam to a battle.

Illustration for 好比 (compare to)

More examples

他把城市的变化好比一场悄然发生的革命。tā bǎ chéng shì de biàn huà háo bǐ yì cháng qiǎo rán fā shēng de gé mìng

He compares the changes in the city to a quiet revolution.

Core concept

A comparison frame that places a second thing beside the first to highlight a shared quality or make the first easier to picture.

Common phrases

  • 把好比bǎ háo bǐ

    compare to

Similar words

比喻bǐ yù: Explains one thing by presenting it through the image or qualities of another.
类比lèi bǐ: Uses similarities between things to make their nature or relationship clear.

Definition in Chinese

用于表示将某事物与另一事物进行比较，以突出相似点或特征，既可作动词也可作连词使用。yòng yú biǎo shì jiāng mǒu shì wù yǔ lìng yí shì wù jìn xíng bǐ jiào yǐ tū chū xiāng sì diǎn huò tè zhēng jì kě zuò dòng cí yě kě zuò lián cí shǐ yòng

Word origin

好比 (hǎobǐ, "to compare to; to be like") is formed from 好 (hǎo, "like") + 比 (bǐ, "compare"), moving from the idea of likeness to an explicit comparison.

Usage tips

  • The English word like can signal preference, but this word signals a comparison or example rather than a liking, making it a useful false-friend check for English speakers.

Other meanings

  • for exampleadverb
  • resemblingadjective

Opposites

  • 区别于qū bié yúdiffer fromverb

Word lists with this word