比⋯⋯更 / 还

bǐ …… gèng / hái

Expressing "even more" with "geng" or "hai"

更 and 还 are the only intensifiers a 比 sentence allows, and they go before the adjective.

Noun 1 + 比 + Noun 2 + 更 / 还 + Adj.

How it works

他比姚明还高 — he's even taller than Yao Ming. The 还 says the second person is remarkable, given that the first already is.

更 and 还 are near-identical here; 还 sounds slightly more surprised.

This is the answer to "how do I say 'much taller'?" without breaking the no-很 rule.

Examples

  • tā bǐ yáo míng hái gāo

    他比姚明还高。

    He's even taller than Yao Ming.

  • jīn tiān bǐ zuó tiān gèng lěng

    今天比昨天更冷。

    Today is even colder than yesterday.

  • zhè ge bǐ nà ge hái guì

    这个比那个还贵。

    This one is even more expensive than that one.