比起 … 来 (compared with)
IntroducedAn improvement needs a baseline
- A club compares its results with last year and says compared with比起last year去年，this year今年many好多(completed / change)了。 — Compared with last year, this year is much better.
- last year去年 is the baseline; this year今年 is evaluated against it. The sentence gives no score, percentage or exact size of improvement.
You compare this year's results with last year's. What does 比起去年，今年好多了。 communicate?
Last year is the baseline for saying this year is better. 来 is often optional in 比起…来. 好多了 expresses a substantial improvement here without supplying a numerical amount.
Name the baseline before the new comment
- Use compared with比起 + B (+ to come来)，A + comment. compared with比起last year去年 introduces last year; this year今年many好多(completed / change)了 gives the new comparison.
- In these examples, compared with比起last year去年 and compared with比起last year去年to come来 both work. Adding to come来 does not swap the years or add a numerical amount.
compared with比起last year去年，this year今年good好much more多了。
Use the lesson target 比起 in this demonstrated example: Compared with last year, this year's much better: ____ 去年，今年好多了。
比起 + B (+ 来)，A … = compared with B: 比起去年,今年好多了.
Numbers come from the stated data
- A fictional score table gives last year 60 and this year 75. compared with比起last year去年，this year今年to raise提高(completed / change)了十五分。 states a fifteen-point increase.
- 75 minus 60 is 15. This measured claim differs from the original many好多(completed / change)了, which supplies no number.
In 比起去年来，今年…, which is the benchmark?
比起 + B names the benchmark; A is then compared to it.
Last year’s fictional score was 60 and this year’s is 75. How many points did it increase?
75 minus 60 gives 15 points. This is a measured gap, not a percentage.
Swap the baseline, then check direction
- With the same scores, compared with比起this year今年，last year去年low低十五分。 compares last year with this year and reports it fifteen points lower.
- compared with比起 introduces the reference; the following comment determines higher, lower, better or worse. compared with比起 alone does not mean improvement.
In the demonstrated year comparison, 比起去年 and 比起去年来 both introduce last year as the baseline.
来 is optional in these two forms; it does not change the baseline.
比起去年，今年好多了 supplies an exact fifteen-point increase without any numerical data.
好多了 is qualitative. The separate 60/75 score case supplies fifteen points.
In 比起今年，去年低十五分, which is the baseline after 比起?
今年 follows 比起 and supplies the reference; 去年 is compared with it.
A preference is not every possible comparison
- compared with比起to drive a car开车，I / me我more更to like喜欢坐地铁。 — Compared with driving, I prefer taking the metro. This is a personal preference.
- It does not prove the metro is cheaper or faster on every route. A new comparison needs the particular property and relevant evidence.
比起开车，我更喜欢坐地铁 proves the metro is faster on every route.
The sentence states a preference, not a universal travel-time comparison.
Preserve the baseline and the kind of claim
- Find the item after compared with比起, then what is compared with it. Read the actual comment rather than automatically adding “better”.
- Distinguish qualitative improvement, a measured gap and a preference. Do not invent a number or universal advantage.
Read the full reference: HSK 5 grammar.
Recall the situation: An improvement needs a baseline. Decide what the speaker wanted to communicate. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.