Chinese phrases, Chinese sentence – How to say ” He is not that smart as his younger sister is” in Chinese : 他没有他的妹妹那么聪明。Ta1 mei2 you3 ta1 de5 mei4 mei5 na4 me5 cong1 ming2. Ta1 (他 pronoun, he) mei2 (没negative prefix for verbs, have not, not) you3 (有 verb, have) ta1 de5 (他的 possessive adjective form of pronoun) mei4 mei5 (妹妹 noun, younger sister) na4 me5 (那么 adverb, in that way, like that) cong1 ming2 (聪明adjective, smart, intelligent).
We can also use 比 bi3 structure to compare two things or two qualities.
他不比他的妹妹聪明 Ta1 bu4 bi3 ta1 de5 mei4 mei5 cong1 ming2.
Two things that you need to pay attention to when you use these two structures:
1 When you want to negate 有 you3 (have), you can only use 没 mei2, never use 不 bu4. For more information about the negation usage, please see another post about Chinese negation under the grammar category.
2. It is habitual to use 没有 mei2 you3 …. 那么 na4 me5, but not 不比bu4 bi2 …. 那么 na4 me5.
For example: 他没有他的妹妹那么聪明. But, never 他不比他的妹妹**那么**聪明.
Some phrases about smartness: 机智 ji1 zhi4 (quick-witted, witty), 头脑灵光tou2 nao3 ling2 guang1 (brain smart and clever), and 脑筋好 nao3 jin1 hao3 (good brain nerves = smart brain).
This video is just fun! I won’t do it to my students, for they might fall into a deep sleep in class!