不如
bù rú HSK 5

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

今天不如昨天热。
Jīntiān bùrú zuótiān rè.
Today is not as hot as yesterday.
坐地铁不如走路快。
Zuò dìtiě bùrú zǒulù kuài.
Taking the subway is not as fast as walking.
我们不如去公园吧。
Wǒmen bùrú qù gōngyuán ba.
It would be better for us to go to the park.
我不如他高。
Wǒ bùrú tā gāo.
I am not as tall as him.
这个不如那个好。
Zhège bùrú nàgè hǎo.
This one is not as good as that one.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 不如 as 'not as' – break it down: 不 (bù) means 'not,' and 如 (rú) means 'as' or 'like.' So, 不如 literally means 'not like' or 'not as good as.' Associate it with making comparisons where one thing falls short, like saying, 'This option is 不如 that one.'

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in tone and commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese, across formal and informal contexts. It often appears in comparisons involving preferences, abilities, or qualities, such as in discussions about choices, recommendations, or evaluations.

📖 Grammar Points

不如 is typically used in the structure 'A 不如 B' to mean 'A is not as good as B.' It can be modified with adverbs like 远 (yuǎn, 'far') for emphasis, as in '远不如.' In suggestions, it can appear in patterns like '不如 + verb phrase' to propose an alternative, e.g., '不如我们去吃饭 (How about we go eat?).'

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, 不如 is often used in humble or polite contexts to downplay one's own abilities or possessions compared to others, reflecting modesty. It can also appear in proverbs or advice, such as '百闻不如一见 (Seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times),' emphasizing experiential learning.

🔄 Similar Words

Unlike 没有 (méiyǒu), which can mean 'to not have' or in comparisons 'not as... as' (e.g., 没有...那么), 不如 specifically conveys inferiority in quality or desirability, often with a subjective judgment. Compared to 比不上 (bǐbushàng), which is more informal and emphasizes inability to match up, 不如 is more general and can suggest a better alternative.

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