You already know that a 比 comparison bans 很, 非常, and 太 — see the cardinal rule. But Chinese still needs a way to say "even taller," "even more expensive." That job falls to exactly two adverbs, and only two: 更 (gèng) and 还 (hái). Both mean "even more," both sit before the adjective, and both are perfectly at home inside 比: 比你更高 (even taller than you), 比这个还贵 (even more expensive than this). Learning which intensifiers 比 accepts — and that the list is just these two — is what lets you add emphasis without falling back on the forbidden 很.
Why 更 and 还 are allowed when 很 is not
The difference is meaning. 很/非常/太 mark an absolute degree, which clashes with the relative nature of 比. But 更 and 还 are themselves relative, incremental words: they mean "even more than the already-high thing you're comparing against." They don't measure how tall something is in itself — they measure a step beyond B. That is exactly the kind of meaning 比 wants, so they reinforce the comparison instead of contradicting it.
There is a built-in presupposition worth noticing: 比你更高 quietly assumes you are already tall, and A goes one notch further. That "B is already high, A tops it" flavour is what separates these from a plain comparison.
他比我更高。
tā bǐ wǒ gèng gāo
He's even taller than me. — 更 sits before the adjective and presupposes I'm already tall.
这家的咖啡比那家的还贵。
zhè jiā de kāfēi bǐ nà jiā de hái guì
This place's coffee is even more expensive than that place's. — and that place was already pricey.
更 — the neutral "even more"
更 is the everyday, emotionally neutral intensifier. It simply says A exceeds B by a clear further margin. It is the safe default whenever you want "even more … than."
他比我更努力。
tā bǐ wǒ gèng nǔlì
He works even harder than me. — neutral 更, no special emotion.
网上买比商店里更便宜。
wǎng shàng mǎi bǐ shāngdiàn lǐ gèng piányi
Buying online is even cheaper than in the shop. — 更 with a whole activity as A.
这个方法比那个更简单。
zhège fāngfǎ bǐ nàge gèng jiǎndān
This method is even simpler than that one. — plain, factual comparison boosted by 更.
还 — "even more," with a note of surprise
还 means the same "even more," but it adds an emotive, often surprised colour: "and on top of that, A is even more so — who'd have thought?" It leans on the presupposition that B was already extreme, and it is common in exclamations. This is why 今天比昨天还冷 lands as "today is even colder than yesterday (and yesterday was already freezing!)."
Do not confuse this 还 with the everyday 还 meaning "still" or "also" (see 还 = still / also). Inside a 比 comparison, right before an adjective, 还 means "even more."
没想到今天比昨天还冷。
méixiǎngdào jīntiān bǐ zuótiān hái lěng
I didn't expect today to be even colder than yesterday. — 还 carries the surprise.
她唱得比原唱还好。
tā chàng de bǐ yuánchàng hái hǎo
She sings it even better than the original singer. — an admiring, slightly astonished tone.
他弟弟比他还高。
tā dìdi bǐ tā hái gāo
His younger brother is even taller than he is. — and he was already tall; that's the point of 还.
更 vs 还 at a glance
| 更 (gèng) | 还 (hái) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | even more | even more |
| Tone | neutral, factual | emotive, often surprised |
| Presupposes B already high? | mildly | strongly |
| Register | all registers | more colloquial / exclamatory |
Common Mistakes
1. Using 很 for emphasis. "Even taller" is never 很高 — it must be 更高 or 还高.
❌ 他比我很高。
Incorrect — to say 'even taller' use 他比我更高 (or 还高); 很 is banned in 比.
✅ 他比我更高。
tā bǐ wǒ gèng gāo
He's even taller than me.
2. Putting 更 after the adjective. 更 and 还 go before the adjective, unlike the after-slot amount words.
❌ 他比我高更。
Incorrect — 更 comes before the adjective: 他比我更高.
✅ 他比我更高。
tā bǐ wǒ gèng gāo
He's even taller than me.
3. Stacking a before-adverb with an after-amount. Pick one: either 更高 (even taller) or 高得多 (much taller), not both.
❌ 他比我更高得多。
Incorrect — don't combine 更 with 得多; use either 更高 or 高得多.
✅ 他比我高得多。
tā bǐ wǒ gāo de duō
He's much taller than me.
4. Substituting 太 or 非常 for 'even'. Only 更 and 还 survive inside 比.
❌ 这个比那个太贵。
Incorrect — for 'even more expensive' say 这个比那个还贵 (or 更贵); 太 can't enter a 比 sentence.
✅ 这个比那个还贵。
zhège bǐ nàge hái guì
This one is even more expensive than that one.
Key Takeaways
- 更 and 还 are the only two adverbs a 比 sentence allows, both meaning "even more": 比你更高, 比这个还贵.
- They work where 很 fails because they are relative/incremental ("even more than the already-high B"), matching 比's relative meaning.
- Both go before the adjective; contrast the after-slot "how much" words like 得多 and 一点.
- 更 is neutral; 还 adds a note of surprise and presupposes B is already extreme. When unsure, use 更.
- The 还 inside a comparison ("even more") is a different sense from the everyday 还 = still / also.
Now practice Chinese
Reading grammar gets you part of the way. The exercises are where it sticks — free, no signup needed.
Start learning Chinese→Related Topics
- The Cardinal Rule: No 很 in a 比 SentenceHSK 2 — The single most important 比 rule: never put 很 / 非常 / 太 before the adjective in a comparison. 她比我漂亮 is right; 她比我很漂亮 is wrong. 比 already means 'more', so degree adverbs clash — use 更/还 or a degree-of-difference phrase instead.
- Degree of Difference Goes After the AdjectiveHSK 2 — To say HOW MUCH more, put the amount AFTER the adjective: 高一点 (a bit taller), 高得多 / 高多了 (much taller), 大三岁 (three years older), 高三厘米 (3 cm taller). English fronts the amount; Chinese puts it last.
- The 比 Comparative: A 比 B + AdjectiveHSK 1 — The core Chinese comparison is A 比 B + Adjective — 我比你高 (I'm taller than you). 比 means 'compared to', the two things flank it, and the adjective stays plain with no word for '-er'.
- How Chinese Compares ThingsHSK 1 — Mandarin compares by sentence structure, not word endings — no -er/-est. Four core frames: 比 for 'more than' (我比你高), 跟…一样 for 'as…as' (我跟你一样高), 没有 for 'not as…as' (我没有你高), and 最 for the superlative (最高).
- 还 (Still / Also / Even More)HSK 2 — 还 (hái) works from one pre-verbal slot to mean 'still' (an ongoing state), 'also / besides' (one more item), and 'even more' (a higher degree) — three English words, one Chinese adverb.