Chinese Dictionary

Usage of the character 比

euphemistic variant of 屄 (bī)

Belgium
Belgian
abbr. for 比利時／比利时 ( Bǐlìshí)

to compare
(followed by a noun and adjective) more {adj.} than {noun}
ratio
to gesture
(Taiwan pr. (bì) in some compounds derived from Classical Chinese)

to compare prices; to compare offers
price ratio; price parity; rate of exchange

proportion
scale

to compete fiercely
contest

Bienne, Switzerland

(Tw) Bissau, capital of Guinea-Bissau

to flog
to cane (as punishment)

analogy
instance
for instance

compound ratio (i.e. the product of two or more ratios)

to compare
to draw a parallel
to match
analogy
metaphor
comparison

(literary) when
by the time
Taiwan pr. (bìjí)

pizza (loanword)

for example
for instance
such as

geometric (of mathematical sequences or progressions)

(slang) silly but amusing person

(flying) wing to wing

proportion
specific gravity

to be shoulder to shoulder
(fig.) to be as good as; to match
Taiwan pr. (bìjiān)

to be comparable to

Bia, daughter of Pallas and Styx in Greek mythology, personification of violence

Bissau, capital of Guinea-Bissau

burpee (loanword)

comparison
to verify by comparing

(loanword) daddy

(statistics) period on period (i.e. "month on month" or "quarter on quarter" etc, depending on the context)

to have a competition
to measure with one's hand or arm
to make a gesture of measuring

(sports) (loanword) derby (contest between local rivals)

to compare two unsatisfactory things
to argue that others have similar or worse faults (as a response to criticism)
whataboutery

(rocketry) specific impulse

(loanword) peso (monetary unit)

analogy
(Tw) (electronics) analog

to compare
to contrast
comparatively
relatively
quite
comparison

Barbie

variant of 比劃／比划 (bǐhua)

proportion; percentage

specific volume

according to
in the light of
contrast

to make invidious comparisons
to compete with
to emulate

to measure roughly (with the hand, a stick, string etc)

neighbor
next-door neighbor
near
next to

score

Buddhist monk (loanword from Sanskrit "bhiksu")

Bizet (name)
Georges Bizet (1838-1875), French musician, composer of opera Carmen

(Internet slang) to form a hand heart using one's thumb and forefinger (or by using both hands)

ratio

to gesture
to gesticulate
to practice the moves of a martial art by imitating the teacher
to fight
to come to blows

ratio; rate; proportion

parallelism (rhetoric)
to arrange things alongside each other

Bi Gan (Chinese god of wealth)

martial arts competition
tournament
to compete in a contest

to liken to
to compare to

direct ratio
directly proportional

compared with

Abby or Abi (name, sometimes short for Abigail)

competition (sports etc)
match
CL:場／场 (chǎng),次 (cì)
to compete

inversely proportional
inverse ratio

Pelé (1940-), Edson Arantes Do Nascimento, Brazilian football star

comparable

to liken to
to compare to

Kobe Bryant
abbr. for 科比·布萊恩特／科比·布莱恩特 ( Kēbǐ· Bùlái'ēntè)

Dolby (audio technology)

intimate

to be just like; can be compared to

to compare

(old) to set a time limit for the arrest of a criminal
Taiwan pr. (bìbǔ)

rupee (Indian currency) (loanword)

to liken to
to compare to

specific humidity

bit (binary digit) (loanword)

kopeck (unit of money, one hundredth of ruble) (loanword)

incomparable
matchless

Pisa, town in Toscana, Italy

to evaluate (by comparison)

(Tw) to compete
contest

comparatively (colloquial)
fairly
quite
rather
relatively

unlike

rabbi (loanword)

lately
recently

(literary) every year; year after year
(literary) in recent years
Taiwan pr. (bìnián)

to draw a parallel

to compare
to liken to
metaphor
analogy
figure of speech
figuratively

(statistics) compared with the same period of the previous year; year on year; year over year

lined up close (like teeth of a comb)

to contrast
contrast
ratio
CL:個／个 (gè)

to give a thumbs-up

specific heat

Bill (name)

compound ratio

(slang) BBQ

Nubia

burpee (loanword)

Thebes, place name in ancient Egypt
Thebes, ancient Greek city state

Cupid (Eros)

direct proportionality

Rabiye or Rebiya (name)
Rebiya Kadeer (1946-), Uyghur businesswoman and activist, imprisoned 1999-2005, then president of the World Uyghur Congress

wasabi (loanword)

transmission ratio
gear ratio

Biru county, Tibetan: 'Bri ru rdzong, in Nagchu prefecture 那曲地區／那曲地区 ( Nàqǔdìqū), central Tibet

Gambia (Tw)

Pinot noir (grape type)

scale
architect's scale
engineer's scale

pizza (loanword)
CL:張／张 (zhāng)

Rugby (game)
Rugby school in England

Rabiye or Rebiya (name)
Rebiya Kadeer (1946-), Uyghur businesswoman and activist, imprisoned 1999-2005, then president of the World Uyghur Congress

color contrast

Naypyidaw or Nay Pyi Taw, capital of Myanmar

stripping-to-ore ratio
stripping ratio

signal-to-noise ratio

(surname) Bittner or Büttner

for example

BYD Company (company name)

Snoopy (comic strip pet dog)

Babylon

compression ratio

Snoopy (comic strip pet dog)

Aibi Lake (Ebinur) in Xinjiang

arm wrestling (Tw)

Hobbit
see also 霍比特人 ( Huòbǐtèrén)

(wing) aspect ratio (aerodynamics)

flatfish
flounder

P⁄E ratio (price-to-earnings ratio)

yield-to-weight ratio (of a nuclear weapon)

contrast (balance of black and white in TV screen setup)
degree of contrast

Cupid, son of Venus and Mars, Roman god of love and beauty

wasabi (loanword) (Tw)

Belgium

Caribbean

to make a comparison
to engage in a contest

libido (loanword)

stadium
playing field for a competition

figurative meaning (of a word)

barbitone
barbital

cost-performance ratio

to defeat; to be superior to

Ebinur River in Xinjiang

Gatsby

bikini (loanword)

sex ratio

Zambia (Tw)

Leipzig, city in the state of Saxony, Germany

Philip
Philippi

percentage

can't compare with

Abidjan (city in Ivory Coast)

comparative degree

Bilbo Baggins, hero of Tolkien's The Hobbit 霍比特人

to vary inversely
inversely proportional to

see 本那比市 ( Běnnàbǐshì)

Sotheby's auction house

Abiud (son of Zerubbabel)

Libya

cannot compare to
to be no match for

Nairobi, capital of Kenya (Tw)

stroke play (golf)

Gambia

pit bull (loanword)

Buddhist nun (loanword from Sanskrit "bhiksuni")

(Tw) shared-facilities ratio (expressed as a percentage of the total floor space of a building)

for example; for instance

Zambia

Bitcoin (cryptocurrency)

jiāngxīnbǐxīn

to put oneself in sb else's shoes (idiom)

see 庫布里克／库布里克 ( Kùbùlǐkè)

Ethiopia (Tw)

Abu Dhabi, capital of United Arab Emirates (UAE)

xiāngbǐzhīxià

by comparison

extremely ugly
incomparably hideous

to fly wing to wing (idiom)
two hearts beating as one
(of a couple) inseparable

aminopyrine (loanword)

Bǐshìwēngyīng

(bird species of China) Bianchi's warbler (Seicercus valentini)

bǐshǒuhuàjiǎo

to gesticulate
to make lively gestures (while talking)
also written 比手畫腳／比手画脚

Shakespeare (name)
William Shakespeare (1564-1616), poet and playwright

shòubǐ Nán Shān

Live as long as the Zhongnan Mountains! (idiom)
Long may you live!

děngbǐjíshù

geometric series (such as 1+2+4+8+...)

halibut

Iberia
the Iberian peninsula

Abu Dhabi, capital of United Arab Emirates (Tw)

antipyrine (loanword)

Bǐfólì Shān

Beverly Hills

incomparable

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien 托爾金／托尔金

bǐshǒuhuàjiǎo

to gesticulate
to make lively gestures (while talking)
also written 比手劃腳／比手划脚

Mǎqiū Bǐqiū

Machu Picchu

xiāngduì-bǐjiào

relatively; comparatively

Liberia (Tw)

Abilene

Namibia

Mozambique

Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia (Tw)

kāishǐbǐsài

to start a match
to kick off

Colombia
Columbia (District of, or University etc)

to be as kind and benevolent as heaven (idiom)

Jiālèbǐ Hǎi

Caribbean Sea

can be found everywhere

sporting competition

Mississippi

duìbǐliánxiǎng

word association
association of ideas

Liberia

Bikini atoll, French nuclear test site in South Pacific

can be compared
to be very similar

Bay of Biscay

(idiom) things are very different now; times have changed

děngbǐshùliè

geometric progression

Mozambique (Tw)

Epistle of St Paul to the Philippians

xuǎnměibǐsài

beauty contest

temperature contrast
difference in temperature (of body to its surroundings)

bǐsàixiàngmù

sporting event
item on program of sports competition

péngbǐwéijiān

to conspire
to gang up

lèibǐcèlüè

analogy strategies

kuàlánbǐsài

hurdling
hurdles race (athletics event)

row upon row

having matchless strength

time trial (e.g. in cycle race)
timed race
competition against the clock

Leaning Tower of Pisa

tiānyábǐlín

see 天涯若比鄰／天涯若比邻 (tiānyáruòbǐlín)

bōbǐyùndòng

burpee (loanword)

bǐyìshuāngfēi

lit. a pair of birds flying close together (idiom)
fig. two hearts beating as one
name of a sweet and sour chicken wing dish

huòbǐsānjiā

to shop around (idiom)

Skopje, capital of North Macedonia (Tw)

Bǐhā'ěrbāng

Bihar, state in eastern India

colorimetric analysis

Ardabil in Azerbaijan region of Iran

Bishkek, capital of Kyrgyzstan

bǐjiàofēnxī

comparative analysis

Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

absolute (not liable to comparative degree)

T'bilisi, capital of Georgia 格魯吉亞／格鲁吉亚 ( Gélǔjíyà)

mǎshàngbǐwǔ

tournament (contest in Western chivalry)
jousting

qíngbǐjīnjiān

love is more solid than gold (idiom)

Pyrenees mountains

bǐjiàowénxué

comparative literature

Karabilah (Iraqi city)

quánjībǐsài

boxing match

bǐjiào'éryán

comparatively speaking

ancient Babylon

Bǐ'ěr· Gàicí

[比爾·蓋茨]

Bill Gates (1955-), co-founder of Microsoft

Fèngxīnbǐkèdǎng

奉辛比克党

[奉辛比克黨]

Funcinpec (royalist Cambodian political party)

tiānyáruòbǐlín

天涯若比邻

[天涯若比鄰]

far-flung realms as next door (idiom)
close in spirit although far away

Rìbǐgǔ Gōngyuán

日比谷公园

[日比谷公園]

Hibiya Park in central Tokyo

wǎhābǐjiàopài

瓦哈比教派

[瓦哈比教派]

Wahhabism (a conservative sect of Islam)

Jīnèiyà Bǐshào

几内亚比绍

[幾內亞比紹]

Guinea-Bissau

wùbābǐtuǒnà

戊巴比妥钠

[戊巴比妥鈉]

pentasorbital sodium (a sedative)

děng'ébǐjījīn

等额比基金

[等額比基金]

equality ration fund, a charitable investment fund that can be drawn down in proportion to further donations

huàxuébǐsèfǎ

化学比色法

[化學比色法]

chemical colorimetry

píngfāngfǎnbǐlü

平方反比律

[平方反比律]

inverse square law (physics)

Bǐyàdíqìchē

比亚迪汽车

[比亞迪汽車]

BYD Auto, PRC car company

gòngmóyìzhìbǐ

共模抑制比

[共模抑制比]

(electronics) common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR)

Qìshābǐkè Wān

契沙比克湾

[契沙比克灣]

Chesapeake Bay

chángjùlíbǐsài

长距离比赛

[長距離比賽]

marathon (sports)

Mìxīxībǐ Hé

密西西比河

[密西西比河]

Mississippi River

Bǐlìniúsīshān

比利牛斯山

[比利牛斯山]

Pyrenees mountains

Bǐlèfèi'ěrdé

比勒费尔德

[比勒費爾德]

Bielefeld (city in Germany)

yìwùbābǐtuǒ

异戊巴比妥

[異戊巴比妥]

amobarbital (drug) (loanword)

tǐjībǎifēnbǐ

体积百分比

[體積百分比]

percentage by volume

gǔběnjīnbǐlü

股本金比率

[股本金比率]

equity ratio

Bōměibǐzhòngjì

波美比重计

[波美比重計]

Baume hydrometer

Bǐlètuólìyà

比勒陀利亚

[比勒陀利亞]

Pretoria, capital of South Africa

Mìxīxībǐzhōu

密西西比州

[密西西比州]

Mississippi, US state

Yīsuǒbǐyàjiè

衣索比亚界

[衣索比亞界]

(Tw) Ethiopian Zone, aka Afrotropical realm

Bǐ'āizībābó

比埃兹巴伯

[比埃茲巴伯]

Beelzebub

Aīsài'ébǐyà

埃塞俄比亚

[埃塞俄比亞]

Ethiopia

阿比西尼亚

[阿比西尼亞]

Abyssinia, historical name of Ethiopia

rénbǐrénděisǐ

人比人得死

[人比人得死]

see 人比人，氣死人／人比人，气死人 (rénbǐrén,qisìrén)

Bānquè Bǐlāduō

般雀比拉多

[般雀比拉多]

Pontius Pilate (in the Biblical passion story)

Jīnèiyà Bǐsuǒ

几内亚比索

[幾內亞比索]

Guinea-Bissau (Tw)

bǐdēngtiānháinán

比登天还难

[比登天還難]

lit. even harder than reaching the sky (idiom)
fig. extremely difficult
far from an easy task

Mò'ěrzībǐgǎng

莫尔兹比港

[莫爾茲比港]

Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea

jìsuànjībǐyù

计算机比喻

[計算機比喻]

computer metaphor

Jiǎsītīng· Bǐbà

贾斯汀·比伯

[賈斯汀·比伯]

Justin Bieber (1994-), Canadian singer

Gēlúnbǐyà Dàxué

哥伦比亚大学

[哥倫比亞大學]

Columbia University

Abǐxīníyàrén

阿比西尼亚人

[阿比西尼亞人]

Abyssinian (person)

Gēlúnbǐyàtèqū

哥伦比亚特区

[哥倫比亞特區]

District of Columbia, USA

píngfāngfǎnbǐdìnglü

平方反比定律

[平方反比定律]

inverse-square law (physics)

Aīsāi'ébǐyàyǔ

埃塞俄比亚语

[埃塞俄比亞語]

Ethiopic (language)

Yīngshǔ Gēlúnbǐyà

英属哥伦比亚

[英屬哥倫比亞]

British Columbia, Pacific province of Canada

Bǐyàwéisītuōkè

比亚韦斯托克

[比亞韋斯托克]

Białystok, city in Poland

Aīsài'ébǐyàjiè

埃塞俄比亚界

[埃塞俄比亞界]

Ethiopian Zone, aka Afrotropical realm

chūxíbiǎojuébǐlì

出席表决比例

[出席表決比例]

proportion of those present and voting

Yībǐlìyà Bàndǎo

伊比利亚半岛

[伊比利亞半島]

Iberian Peninsula

Rèbǐyà· Kǎdé'ěr

热比亚·卡德尔

[熱比亞·卡德爾]

Rebiya Kadeer (1946-), Uyghur businesswoman and activist, imprisoned 1999-2005, then president of the World Uyghur Congress

Kēbǐ· Bùlái'ēntè

科比·布莱恩特

[科比·布萊恩特]

Kobe Bryant (1978-2020), Los Angeles Lakers NBA star

Rèbǐyà· Kǎdé'ěr

热比娅·卡德尔

[熱比婭·卡德爾]

Rebiya Kadeer or Rabiye Qadir (1947-), Uighur businesswoman and activist, imprisoned 1999-2005, then president of the World Uighur Congress

Wēilián· Shāshìbǐyà

威廉·莎士比亚

[威廉·莎士比亞]

William Shakespeare (1564-1616), poet and playwright

Háoyīdù· Bǐháo'ěr

豪伊杜·比豪尔

[豪伊杜·比豪爾]

Hajdú-Bihar province of east Hungary on the border with Romania

Abǐxīníyà Guānhuà

阿比西尼亚官话

[阿比西尼亞官話]

Amharic (language)

rénbǐrén,qìsǐrén

人比人，气死人

[人比人，氣死人]

(proverb) constantly comparing oneself to others only leads to dissatisfaction and envy

bágēnhànmáobǐyāocū

拔根汗毛比腰粗

[拔根汗毛比腰粗]

lit. a hair plucked from (person A) would be thicker than (person B)'s waist (idiom)
fig. A is far richer (or more powerful) than B
(used in a pattern such as A拔根汗毛比B的腰粗 ( Abágēnhànmáobǐ Bdeyāocū))

Bùlièdiān Gēlúnbǐyà

不列颠哥伦比亚

[不列顛哥倫比亞]

British Columbia, Pacific province of Canada

huòbǐsānjiābùchīkuī

货比三家不吃亏

[貨比三家不吃虧]

shop around first and you won't get ripped off (idiom)

Jiālèbǐ Guójiā Liánméng

加勒比国家联盟

[加勒比國家聯盟]

Association of Caribbean States

Pòxī· Bǐxī· Xuělái

珀西·比希·雪莱

[珀西·比希·雪萊]

Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822), English Romantic poet

Háoyīdù· Bìháo'ěrzhōu

豪伊杜·比豪尔州

[豪伊杜·比豪爾州]

Hajdú-Bihar county in east Hungary on the border with Romania, capital Debrecen 德布勒森

bǐshàngbùzúbǐxiàyǒuyú

比上不足比下有余

[比上不足比下有餘]

to fall short of the best but be better than the worst
can pass muster

Gēlúnbǐyà Guǎngbō Gōngsī

哥伦比亚广播公司

[哥倫比亞廣播公司]

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Bùlièdiān Gēlúnbǐyàshěng

不列颠哥伦比亚省

[不列顛哥倫比亞省]

British Columbia, Pacific province of Canada

shòusǐdeluòtuobǐmǎdà

瘦死的骆驼比马大

[瘦死的駱駝比馬大]

lit. even a scrawny camel is bigger than a horse (idiom)
fig. even after suffering a loss, a rich person is still better off than ordinary people
a cultured person may come down in the world, but he is still superior to the common people

Shèngduōměihé Pǔlínxībǐ

圣多美和普林西比

[聖多美和普林西比]

São Tomé and Príncipe

Huángjiā Jiālèbǐ Hǎiyóulúngōngsī

皇家加勒比海游轮公司

[皇家加勒比海遊輪公司]

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines

bùpàbùshíhuò,jiùpàhuòbǐhuò

不怕不识货，就怕货比货

[不怕不識貨，就怕貨比貨]

lit. don't worry about not knowing goods, but about comparing them (proverb)
fig. goods' (or person's) true value can only be determined through comparison

hǎinèicúnzhījǐ,tiānyáruòbǐlín

海内存知己，天涯若比邻

[海內存知己，天涯若比鄰]

close friend in a distant land, far-flung realms as next door
close in spirit although far away

bùpàbùshíhuò,zhǐpàhuòbǐhuò

不怕不识货，只怕货比货

[不怕不識貨，只怕貨比貨]

lit. don't worry about not knowing goods, but about comparing them (proverb)
fig. goods' (or person's) true value can only be determined through comparison

zàitiānyuànzuòbǐyìniǎo,zàidìyuànzuòliánlǐzhī

在天愿做比翼鸟，在地愿做连理枝

[在天願做比翼鳥，在地願做連理枝]

In the sky to be two birds flying wing to wing, on earth to be two trees with branches intertwined
wishing for conjugal bliss