对比

• Pinyin: duì bǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 对 = 又 (hand) + 寸 (measure), simplified from 對; 比 = two people side by side, meaning to compare

Meaning

To compare; comparison; contrast. Placing two things side by side to examine their differences.

Used both as a verb (对比两种方法) and as a noun (形成对比). Emphasises differences more than similarities, unlike 比较 which is more general. Common in academic, commercial, and everyday contexts: product comparisons, before-and-after, data analysis.

Examples

1. 把这两款手机对比一下，看看哪个更好。 Compare these two phones side by side and see which one is better.
2. 和去年对比，今年的成绩进步了很多。 Compared with last year, this year's results have improved a lot.
3. 新旧照片放在一起，对比特别明显。 Placing the old and new photos together, the contrast is very obvious.

Usage Guide

Context: analysis, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我们来对比一下这两个方案。(Let's compare these two proposals.)
• 和以前对比，变化真大。(Compared with before, the change is really big.)

Don't Say

• 用'对比'代替'比较'在日常随意语境 (Don't always replace 比较 with 对比 — 对比 emphasises contrasting differences, while 比较 is a more neutral, everyday word for comparing)

Origin & History

Compound of 对 (facing, opposite) and 比 (to compare). Together they mean to place things face to face for comparison.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal