比如说

• Pinyin: bǐ rú shuō
• Hanzi breakdown: 比 (bǐ) — to compare; 如 (rú) — like, as; 说 (shuō) — to say, to speak

Meaning

For example; such as. The spoken, slightly more emphatic version of 比如.

Adding 说 (to say) after 比如 makes it more conversational and is extremely common in natural spoken Mandarin. Often used when the speaker is about to elaborate with a specific example.

Examples

1. 学中文有很多好方法，比如说多看中文电影。 There are many good ways to study Chinese — for example, watching more Chinese films.
2. 我去过很多国家，比如说日本、法国和泰国。 I've been to many countries, such as Japan, France, and Thailand.
3. 你可以做很多准备，比如说提前查好路线。 You can make a lot of preparations, for example looking up the route in advance.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken conversation, giving examples verbally, informal explanations

Tone: casual, conversational

Do Say

• 比如说，你可以每天练习写汉字。(For example, you could practice writing Chinese characters every day.)
• 有很多原因，比如说天气不好。(There are many reasons — for example, the weather was bad.)

Don't Say

• Avoid using 比如说 in formal written Chinese such as essays or official documents — use 例如 or 比如 instead.

Origin & History

Extension of 比如 (for example) with 说 (to say) appended to emphasize the act of giving a verbal example.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal