Learn Hardcore Chinese: jīntiān bā diǎn bàn de diànyǐng piào bǐjiào piányi, bié chídào. - Today's eight-thirty movie tickets are relatively cheap; don't be late.

Both are possible, depending on context. Grammatically, adverbial 比较 often means “relatively/rather/pretty,” a soft hedge: “they’re on the cheap side.” In real use it often implies an unspoken comparison (e.g., cheaper than other showtimes or than usual), but it doesn’t name the standard explicitly.

How would I express an explicit comparison like “cheaper than the 9:00 ones,” or say “even cheaper” or “a bit cheaper”?

Explicit A 比 B: 今天八点半的电影票比九点的便宜。
“Even cheaper” with 更: 今天八点半的电影票更便宜 (when a baseline is understood).
“A bit cheaper”: 便宜一点(儿) / 便宜一些 / 稍微便宜一点.

Why is there no measure word with 电影票? Shouldn’t it be 张?

When you talk about tickets in general, you don’t need a measure word. If you count them, use 张:

General: 电影票比较便宜。
Counting: 今天八点半的电影票一张/两张比较便宜。

Does 半 just mean “:30”? Can I say 八点三十分? What about 八点半分?

半 after 点 means “half past,” i.e., :30. 八点半 = 8:30.
八点三十分 is correct but more formal.
Don’t say 八点半分; 半 already implies 分.

Can or should I add 上午/下午/晚上 to make 8:30 clear?

Yes, if needed for clarity. Put it before 点:

今天晚上八点半的电影票比较便宜。 Word order inside the modifier typically goes broad → narrow: 今天 → (上午/下午/晚上) → 八点半 → 的 → 电影票.

Do I need a connector like 所以 before 别迟到?

Not required. Chinese often relies on parataxis (placing clauses side by side) to show cause → result:

今天八点半的电影票比较便宜，(所以)别迟到。 Adding 所以 makes the logic explicit but isn’t necessary.

Who is being told not to be late? Why is there no subject before 别迟到?

Imperatives often omit the subject; it’s understood from context (usually “you/you all”).

You can add it for clarity or emphasis: 你别迟到 / 你们别迟到 / 我们别迟到吧 (let’s not be late).

What’s the difference between 别 and 不要 for “don’t (do something)”?

别 + verb is the most common everyday negative imperative: 别迟到 (don’t be late).
不要 + verb also works; it can sound a bit stronger or more formal. 请不要迟到 is polite.
别…了 often means “stop doing (it)”: 别说了 (stop talking). For future avoidance, plain 别迟到 is best.

How do I pronounce 便宜? Is the second syllable neutral?

Yes. It’s usually piányi, with a neutral tone on -yi. You’ll also hear it pronounced as two full tones in some regions, but the neutral second syllable is standard in Putonghua.

Could I shorten 电影票 to just 票 here?

Yes, if context makes “movie tickets” clear:

今天八点半的票比较便宜 is fine in a movie-ticket context. Without context, 电影票 is safer.

Why is there no 的 between 电影 and 票 (why not 电影的票)?

Because 电影票 is a fixed compound noun (“movie ticket”). 电影的票 isn’t wrong, but it’s less natural unless you’re contrasting categories (e.g., 戏剧的票/音乐会的票/电影的票). In general, use the compound 电影票.

Why isn’t there a 的 after 便宜 (i.e., 便宜的)?

的 is used to attach modifiers to nouns or to nominalize. Here, 便宜 is a predicate adjective, so no 的:

Predicate: 电影票比较便宜。
Attributive: 比较便宜的电影票 (“relatively cheap movie tickets”).
Sentence-final 的 can add a soft, explanatory tone: 电影票很便宜的 (they really are cheap, you know).

Is 迟到 a verb or an adjective? Could I use 晚 instead?

迟到 (chídào) is a verb meaning “to arrive late/be late.” It doesn’t take an object: 别迟到.
晚 (wǎn) is an adjective/adverb meaning “late/late(ly).” You’ll see things like 别来晚了 (“don’t come late/too late”), which has a slightly different nuance. For the general “don’t be late,” 别迟到 is standard.

Could I reorder to say “电影票今天比较便宜,” and does that change the meaning?

电影票今天比较便宜 = “Tickets are relatively cheap today (in general).”
今天八点半的电影票比较便宜 = specifically “the tickets for today’s 8:30 showing are relatively cheap.” So yes, reordering can change the scope of what’s being modified.