Using 比 to compare

[XiaoZhou]

Although I am familiar with "X比Y(adjective)" and I will occasionally use "A不如B(adjective)," what is the most convenient way to compare intensity of verbs? "我跑比你快" is simple enough, but what about when there are also objects that need to be included, such as with the verb "to like"? I am specifically wondering how I would say "I like you more than her" (or the other way around, as the situation requires), but we would also use inanimate objects as an example; for instance: "I like chocolate more than bananas."

Should this be said in Chinese as 我巧克力比香蕉喜欢, or perhaps as 我喜欢巧克力比香蕉? I know that I could always just say 我觉得你比他好 or something expressing a personal opinion, but how could I say it using the word 喜欢?

[skylee]

"我跑比你快" is simple enough,

It is a bit more complicated than that. It should be 我跑得比你快 or 我比你跑得快.

[Danny2312]

和香蕉比起来，我比较喜欢巧克力。

I often say it this way colloquially, but I do not know whether it's correct or not.

[skylee]

Another way to say it - 我喜歡巧克力多於 / 多過香蕉。

[aifeluna]

consider about "更".

so in this way let's say（比起香蕉 compare with） 我更喜欢巧克力.

[Altair]

YUFA!: A Practical Guide to Mandarin Chinese Grammar has a great discussion of comparisons, actually two chapters worth. It says: "When 比 (bi3) is used to make comparisons, only the subjects or time phrases can be compared. In other words, 比 cannot be used to compare the two objects in a sentence." It also says: "The feature being compared is usually an adjective, a complement of state, a verb (which has the quality of an adjective or which can indicate increase/decrease, etc.) or, occasionally, an auxiliary verb.

Notice the difference in the following two structures. Both could be translated by "I like Mr. Wang more than Mr. Zhang," but mean different things both in English and Chinese.

I like Mr. Wang more than Mr Zhang (likes him).

我比张先生喜欢王先生。

I like Mr Wang more than (I like) Mr Zhang.

王先生和张先生，我（比较）喜欢王先生。