Comparison with 過 and 比 in Cantonese

In Brief

In everyday Cantonese, the usual pattern for “A is more adjective than B” is A + adjective + 過 gwo3 + B: 佢高過我 means “He or she is taller than me.” The pattern A + 比 bei2 + B + adjective expresses the same basic comparison but sounds more formal or writing-influenced. Put 最 zeoi3 before an adjective for “the most”: 呢個最好食 means “This one is the tastiest.”

Overview

Comparisons let you say that one person is taller, one route is faster, or today is colder than yesterday. This A2 topic builds on basic Cantonese adjectives such as 高 gou1 “tall,” 快 faai3 “fast,” and 貴 gwai3 “expensive.” An adjective describes a quality; in Cantonese it can also serve directly as the main part of a statement, without a separate word meaning “to be.” For example, 今日好凍 gam1 jat6 hou2 dung3 means “Today is cold.”

English changes some adjectives—“tall” becomes “taller”—and puts “more” before others. Cantonese does not alter the adjective. Instead, word order and words such as 過, 比, and 最 show the comparison. This makes the forms regular, but an English-speaking learner must resist inserting 好 hou2 automatically: in a comparison, 高過 already means “taller than,” not “very taller than.”

The beginner priority is the natural spoken pattern with 過. Once that is comfortable, add the 比 pattern, exact differences such as “three years older,” negative comparisons such as “not as expensive,” equal comparisons, and superlatives such as “the cheapest.”

How It Works

1. The everyday pattern with 過

The most useful spoken pattern is:

A + adjective + 過 gwo3 + B

Here, A is the person or thing being described, and B is the comparison object—the person, thing, time, or place used as the standard.

Cantonese	Jyutping	English	Structure
佢高過我。	keoi5 gou1 gwo3 ngo5.	He/She is taller than me.	A + 高 + 過 + B
今日凍過尋日。	gam1 jat6 dung3 gwo3 cam4 jat6.	Today is colder than yesterday.	A + 凍 + 過 + B
搭港鐵快過搭巴士。	daap3 gong2 tit3 faai3 gwo3 daap3 baa1 si2.	Taking the MTR is faster than taking the bus.	Two activities are compared

過 comes after the adjective. It does not correspond word for word to English “more”; the whole adjective + 過 combination carries the comparative meaning. Thus 平過 is “cheaper than,” 靚過 is “more beautiful than,” and 好食過 is “tastier than.” Multi-character adjectives such as 好食 hou2 sik6 stay together.

A comparison may also use a verb phrase that describes performance:

• 佢跑得快過我。 keoi5 paau2 dak1 faai3 gwo3 ngo5. — “He/She runs faster than me.”
• 阿明講廣東話講得流利過我。 aa3 ming4 gong2 gwong2 dung1 waa2 gong2 dak1 lau4 lei6 gwo3 ngo5. — “Ah Ming speaks Cantonese more fluently than I do.”

In these sentences, 得 dak1 introduces a description of how an action is done. The comparison still follows that description: 快過我, 流利過我.

2. The 比 pattern

A second pattern places the comparison standard before the adjective:

A + 比 bei2 + B + adjective

Cantonese	Jyutping	English	Note
佢比我高。	keoi5 bei2 ngo5 gou1.	He/She is taller than me.	Same basic meaning as 佢高過我
今日比尋日凍。	gam1 jat6 bei2 cam4 jat6 dung3.	Today is colder than yesterday.	The standard comes before 凍
呢間比嗰間平。	ni1 gaan1 bei2 go2 gaan1 peng4.	This shop is cheaper than that one.	Classifiers can stand for understood nouns

This construction is readily understood and occurs in Cantonese, especially in more formal speech, careful exposition, or language influenced by written Chinese. In relaxed conversation, many speakers prefer the 過 construction. For active production at A2, treating 過 as your default will usually give you natural everyday Cantonese.

Do not combine the two basic frames in one simple comparison. Choose either 佢高過我 or 佢比我高.

3. Saying the exact difference

A measurement or amount normally follows the adjective:

A + 比 + B + adjective + amount

• 佢比我大三歲。 keoi5 bei2 ngo5 daai6 saam1 seoi3. — “He/She is three years older than me.”
• 呢張枱比嗰張長十厘米。 ni1 zoeng1 toi2 bei2 go2 zoeng1 coeng4 sap6 lei4 mai5. — “This table is ten centimetres longer than that one.”

An amount can also occur with the colloquial 過 pattern:

• 佢高過我五厘米。 keoi5 gou1 gwo3 ngo5 ng5 lei4 mai5. — “He/She is five centimetres taller than me.”
• 今日熱過尋日兩度。 gam1 jat6 jit6 gwo3 cam4 jat6 loeng5 dou6. — “Today is two degrees hotter than yesterday.”

For an approximate difference, use 少少 siu2 siu2 “a little” or 好多 hou2 do1 “a lot”: 平過嗰間少少 “a little cheaper than that shop”; 比以前好好多 “much better than before.”

4. “Not as … as” with 冇…咁

A negative comparison usually does not negate a positive 過 sentence directly. The natural everyday frame is:

A + 冇 mou5 + B + 咁 gam3 + adjective

It literally presents A as not reaching B’s degree of the quality.

• 我冇佢咁高。 ngo5 mou5 keoi5 gam3 gou1. — “I’m not as tall as him/her.”
• 今日冇尋日咁凍。 gam1 jat6 mou5 cam4 jat6 gam3 dung3. — “Today isn’t as cold as yesterday.”
• 呢間餐廳冇嗰間咁貴。 ni1 gaan1 caan1 teng1 mou5 go2 gaan1 gam3 gwai3. — “This restaurant isn’t as expensive as that one.”

Notice that this pattern reverses the viewpoint. 佢高過我 and 我冇佢咁高 can describe the same situation, but the first focuses on the taller person and the second on the shorter one.

5. Equal comparisons

For “as … as” or “equally …,” use 一樣 jat1 joeng6 “the same.” A common pattern is:

A + 同 tung4 + B + 一樣 + 咁 + adjective

• 我同家姐一樣咁高。 ngo5 tung4 gaa1 ze1 jat1 joeng6 gam3 gou1. — “I’m as tall as my older sister.”
• 兩條路一樣咁遠。 loeng5 tiu4 lou6 jat1 joeng6 gam3 jyun5. — “The two routes are equally far.”

In shorter statements, 咁 may be omitted: 兩個一樣高 “The two are the same height.” Keeping 一樣咁 + adjective is a clear, useful learner pattern.

6. Superlatives with 最

A superlative identifies the highest degree in a group: “the tallest,” “the fastest,” or “the most expensive.” Put 最 zeoi3 immediately before the adjective:

A + 最 + adjective

• 呢個最好食。 ni1 go3 zeoi3 hou2 sik6. — “This one is the tastiest.”
• 邊個最高？ bin1 go3 zeoi3 gou1? — “Who is the tallest?”

The group may be clear from context. If it is not, state it with expressions such as 喺…入面 hai2…jap6 min6 “among/within” or …之中 …zi1 zung1 “among,” the latter being more formal:

• 喺我哋班入面，佢最高。 — “In our class, he/she is the tallest.”
• 三個方法之中，呢個最簡單。 — “Of the three methods, this one is the simplest.”

Unlike English, Cantonese does not need a separate equivalent of “the” before 最.

Examples in Context

Cantonese	Jyutping	English	Note
佢高過我。	keoi5 gou1 gwo3 ngo5.	He/She is taller than me.	Everyday 過 comparison
今日凍過尋日。	gam1 jat6 dung3 gwo3 cam4 jat6.	Today is colder than yesterday.	Comparing days
呢部電話平過嗰部。	ni1 bou6 din6 waa2 peng4 gwo3 go2 bou6.	This phone is cheaper than that one.	部 replaces the repeated noun
我覺得火車舒服過巴士。	ngo5 gok3 dak1 fo2 ce1 syu1 fuk6 gwo3 baa1 si2.	I think the train is more comfortable than the bus.	Opinion plus comparison
妹妹游水快過我。	mui6 mui2 jau4 seoi2 faai3 gwo3 ngo5.	My younger sister swims faster than I do.	Comparing performance
佢比我大三歲。	keoi5 bei2 ngo5 daai6 saam1 seoi3.	He/She is three years older than me.	Exact difference
新嗰間比舊嗰間光猛。	san1 go2 gaan1 bei2 gau6 go2 gaan1 gwong1 maang5.	The new one is brighter than the old one.	比 pattern
呢杯咖啡冇嗰杯咁甜。	ni1 bui1 gaa3 fe1 mou5 go2 bui1 gam3 tim4.	This coffee isn’t as sweet as that one.	Negative comparison
我同你一樣咁忙。	ngo5 tung4 nei5 jat1 joeng6 gam3 mong4.	I’m as busy as you are.	Equal degree
兩件衫差唔多一樣貴。	loeng5 gin6 saam1 caa1 m4 do1 jat1 joeng6 gwai3.	The two shirts cost almost the same.	Approximate equality
呢個最好食。	ni1 go3 zeoi3 hou2 sik6.	This one is the tastiest.	Superlative with 最
邊條路最快？	bin1 tiu4 lou6 zeoi3 faai3?	Which route is the fastest?	Superlative question
喺屋企人入面，阿哥最高。	hai2 uk1 kei2 jan4 jap6 min6, aa3 go1 zeoi3 gou1.	In the family, my older brother is the tallest.	Explicit comparison group

Common Mistakes

Putting 過 before the adjective

• Wrong: 佢過高我。
• Right: 佢高過我。
• Why: In the everyday comparative frame, 過 follows the adjective: 高過, 快過, 平過.

Adding 好 as if it meant English “more”

• Wrong: 今日好凍過尋日。 (for a neutral comparison)
• Right: 今日凍過尋日。
• Why: 好 hou2 commonly marks a strong degree, but it is not the comparative word “more.” The sequence 凍過尋日 already means “colder than yesterday.”

Mixing the 過 and 比 word orders

• Wrong: 佢比我高過。
• Right: 佢高過我。 / 佢比我高。
• Why: The two frames place B differently. With 過, B follows 過; with 比, B comes before the adjective.

Using 唔 before an adjective for “not as … as”

• Wrong: 我唔高過佢。 (intended: “I’m not as tall as him/her.”)
• Right: 我冇佢咁高。
• Why: A simple logical “not taller than” and the degree comparison “not as tall as” are not always the same idea. 冇 B 咁 + adjective is the natural spoken pattern for “not as … as B.”

Forgetting the comparison group with 最

• Unclear: 佢最高。 when no group has been mentioned
• Clear: 喺我哋班入面，佢最高。
• Why: 最 means the highest degree within some set. The set may be omitted only when listeners can recover it from context.

Treating 大 as only physical size

• Misleading: translating 佢比我大三歲 as “He/She is three years bigger than me.”
• Right: “He/She is three years older than me.”
• Why: With people and an age difference, 大 daai6 means “older”; 細 sai3 means “younger.” Context decides the intended sense.

Usage Notes

Spoken 過 and more formal 比

Both patterns are grammatical and understood. Adjective + 過 + B is especially characteristic of colloquial Cantonese and is the safest everyday default. 比 + B + adjective is more associated with formal explanation and written-Chinese influence, though speakers also use it in speech. Register is a tendency, not a ban: you do not need to avoid 比, but you should recognise that 過 often sounds more conversational.

Be aware that 比 bei2 has other common uses, including the verb “to give.” Word order and context distinguish them. In 佢比我高, the adjective after 我 makes the comparative reading clear.

Avoiding unnecessary repetition

Cantonese often leaves out a noun that is already understood and keeps its classifier—the counting word used with that noun. In 呢部電話平過嗰部, the second 部 bou6 stands for “phone.” Likewise, 呢間平過嗰間 can mean “This shop is cheaper than that shop.” This is natural and keeps comparisons compact.

好 can belong inside an adjective

The warning against inserting 好 does not mean every written 好 must disappear. In 好食 hou2 sik6 “tasty” and 好睇 hou2 tai2 “good to watch/attractive,” 好 is part of a familiar adjective-like expression. Therefore 呢間好食過嗰間 means “This restaurant’s food is tastier than that one’s.” Compare this with unnecessary degree 好 before a simple adjective: neutral “colder” is 凍過, not 好凍過.

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

You do not need to master all of these details at A2, but they explain forms you will encounter later.

Comparisons with verbs and quantities

Comparison is not limited to ordinary adjectives. Cantonese can compare quantities with 多 do1 “more” and 少 siu2 “less/fewer”:

• 佢食得多過我。 keoi5 sik6 dak1 do1 gwo3 ngo5. — “He/She eats more than I do.”
• 今個月使少咗錢。 gam1 go3 jyut6 sai2 siu2 zo2 cin2. — “I spent less money this month.”

When comparing how an action is performed, verb + 得 + description is important: 寫得清楚過我 “write more clearly than I do.” In longer sentences, speakers may repeat the verb to establish the topic before the 得 phrase, as in 佢廣東話講得流利過我 “He/She speaks Cantonese more fluently than I do.”

Change relative to an earlier state

A sentence can compare the present with an earlier state even when the standard is not stated:

• 天氣涼咗。 — “The weather has become cooler.”
• 而家好啲。 — “It’s better now.”

Here 咗 zo2 marks a change, and 啲 di1 can soften a degree to “a bit/more.” These are not complete 過 comparisons, but English translations often use a comparative. If you name the standard, the relationship becomes explicit: 而家好過以前 “It’s better now than before.”

比較 as “comparatively/rather”

The two-character word 比較 bei2 gaau3 can mean “to compare” or, before an adjective, “comparatively/rather”: 呢個比較方便 “This one is comparatively more convenient.” This differs from the frame A 比 B + adjective, because 比較 acts together and no B standard has to follow it. The exact comparison may simply be understood from the conversation.

Superlatives and context

最 gives an absolute superlative within a context, while a comparative can sometimes sound more natural if only two items are involved. If choosing between two routes, 邊條快啲？ “Which route is a bit faster?” is conversational; 邊條最快？ “Which route is fastest?” also occurs, especially when the relevant set is treated as a group. As your listening improves, notice that Cantonese speakers often choose a context-sensitive comparative rather than mechanically matching every English “-est.”

Practice Tips

1. Build comparison pairs. Choose five familiar adjectives—such as 高, 平, 快, 凍, and 好食—and make one 過 sentence for each. Then reverse the viewpoint with 冇…咁: A 平過 B becomes B 冇 A 咁平.
2. Compare real choices. Use two cafés, transport routes, phones, or days of weather. Say one difference, one equality, and one superlative. Real information makes the word order easier to remember.
3. Listen for the marker’s position. When watching Cantonese media, write down the words immediately before and after 過 or 比. Label the pattern rather than translating word by word. This trains you to hear 高過我 and 比我高 as two complete frames.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Basic Adjectives and 好 — learn how Cantonese adjectives work as predicates before turning them into comparisons.