没有 (méiyǒu): How to Say “Not as … as …”
没有 (méiyǒu) is the mirror of 比: Noun1 + 没有 + Noun2 + Adjective = “Noun1 is not as [adj] as Noun2” (我没有他高 = “I'm not as tall as him”). The first noun falls short. (Same 没有 as “not have”.)
Why this trips learners up
There's a second everyday way to compare two things in Chinese, and it's the exact mirror of 比 (bǐ): 没有 (méiyǒu). Where 比 says one thing is more, 没有 says it falls short — “not as … as …”. The frame is Noun1 + 没有 + Noun2 + Adjective: 我没有他高 = “I'm not as tall as him”. The first noun is the lesser one; the second is the one that wins. (And yes — it's the very same 没有 you know as “not have”, doing a different job here.)
It behaves just like 比, so the same two rules apply: the adjective stays bare (no 很 — 火车没有飞机快, not 火车没有飞机很快), and you don't negate the adjective on top (没有 already carries the “not as”, so 他没有我高, never 他没有我不高). When you want the “as” spelled out, add 那么: 我的中文没有你那么好 (“my Chinese isn't as good as yours”).
One thing this makes plain: the comparison is built on the negative of 有, so it's always 没有 — 有 pairs with 没, never 不 (there's no 不有). 比 and 没有 are two sides of one coin: 我比他高 and 他没有我高 describe the same fact. Reach for 比 to say who's more; reach for 没有 to say who comes up short.
The structure
Colour key
Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.
Examples in context
Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.
Tap a word to see its grammatical role.
dìdi 弟弟 Subject méiyǒu 没有 Pattern gēge 哥哥 Object gāo 高 Adjective
The younger brother isn't as tall as the older one.
jīntiān 今天 Subject méiyǒu 没有 Pattern zuótiān 昨天 Object rè 热 Adjective
Today isn't as hot as yesterday.
zhè bù diànyǐng 这部电影 Subject méiyǒu 没有 Pattern nà bù 那部 Object hǎokàn 好看 Adjective
This movie isn't as good as that one.
nǐ 你 Subject méiyǒu 没有 Pattern tā 他 Object máng 忙 Adjective ma 吗 Question
Are you not as busy as him?
wǒ de Zhōngwén 我的中文 Subject méiyǒu 没有 Pattern nǐ 你 Object nàme 那么 Adverb hǎo 好 Adjective
My Chinese isn't as good as yours (没有…那么…).
zài jiā zuòfàn 在家做饭 Subject méiyǒu 没有 Pattern qù fàndiàn 去饭店 Object fāngbiàn 方便 Adjective
Cooking at home isn't as convenient as going to a restaurant.
wǒ de fángjiān 我的房间 Subject méiyǒu 没有 Pattern nǐ de 你的 Object gānjìng 干净 Adjective
My room isn't as clean as yours.
zhè jiā cāntīng 这家餐厅 Subject méiyǒu 没有 Pattern nà jiā 那家 Object yǒumíng 有名 Adjective dànshì 但是 Connector gèng 更 Adverb piányi 便宜 Adjective
This restaurant isn't as famous as that one, but it's cheaper.
Common mistakes
Why it happens: No 很 inside the comparison — the adjective stands bare, just like with 比. “Trains aren't as fast as planes” is 火车没有飞机快, never 火车没有飞机很快. For “nowhere near as”, use 那么: 没有飞机那么快.
Why it happens: 没有 already means “not as … as”, so don't negate the adjective on top of it. “He's not as tall as me” is 他没有我高 — the 没有 does all the work; 他没有我不高 is a double negative and wrong.
Why it happens: This comparison is the negative of 有, so it must be 没有 — 有 pairs with 没, never 不. “This isn't as good as that” is 这个没有那个好, not 这个不有那个好.
Compare & contrast
| 比 — MORE than (the first noun wins) | 没有 — NOT AS … AS (the first noun falls short) | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| 我比他高。wǒ bǐ tā gāo. = I am taller than him | 我没有他高。wǒ méiyǒu tā gāo. = I am not as tall as him | 我比他高 = “I'm taller than him” — I win. 我没有他高 = “I'm not as tall as him” — I fall short. (Flip the nouns and they say the same thing: 我比他高 = 他没有我高.) |
| 地铁比公交车快。dìtiě bǐ gōngjiāochē kuài. = the subway is faster than the bus | 公交车没有地铁快。gōngjiāochē méiyǒu dìtiě kuài. = the bus is not as fast as the subway | 地铁比公交车快 = “the subway is faster than the bus”. 公交车没有地铁快 = “the bus isn't as fast as the subway”. Same fact, opposite framing. |
Try it yourself
Say “I'm not as busy as you.” — tap the words into order.
Related patterns
Quick reference card
没有 (méiyǒu): How to Say “Not as … as …” grammar.merrymandarin.com A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.