bǐqǐ jìdào jiā, wǒ gèng xiǎng zìqǔ jiàshǐzhèng.

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Breakdown of bǐqǐ jìdào jiā, wǒ gèng xiǎng zìqǔ jiàshǐzhèng.

• 家jiā: home
• 想xiǎng: to want to
• 更gèng: more

Questions & Answers about bǐqǐ jìdào jiā, wǒ gèng xiǎng zìqǔ jiàshǐzhèng.

What does 比起 mean here, and how is it different from just 比?

比起 means compared with or rather than in this sentence.

Here, 比起寄到家 introduces the thing being compared:

• 比起寄到家，我更想自取驾驶证。
• Compared with having it mailed home, I would rather pick up my driver’s license myself.

Difference:

• 比 is the basic comparison word, often used in patterns like A 比 B + adjective.
  • 他比我高。 = He is taller than me.
• 比起 is often used when setting up a comparison in a slightly broader or more natural way, especially before a whole phrase or action.
  • It often sounds like as compared to..., rather than...

So in this sentence, 比起 is a natural choice because the comparison is between two actions:

• 寄到家
• 自取驾驶证

Why does the sentence begin with 比起寄到家? Is that a complete phrase?

Yes, it works as a comparison phrase placed at the beginning of the sentence.

The structure is:

• 比起 + option A, 我更想 + option B

So:

• 比起寄到家，我更想自取驾驶证。

Literally:

• Compared with mailing it home, I more want to pick up the driver’s license myself.

This beginning phrase is not a full independent sentence by itself, but it is a complete comparison phrase. Chinese often puts this kind of comparison topic first, then gives the speaker’s preference after it.