1. Meaning and Usage
The structure "A 跟 B 一样" (A gēn B yīyàng) is one of the most fundamental ways to express comparison in Chinese. It is used to state that two things, people, or situations are identical or similar.
- 跟 (gēn) means "with" or "and" (it can be replaced by 和 (hé) or 同 (tóng) ).
- 一样 (yīyàng) means "the same" or "alike".
In English, this structure translates to "A is the same as B" or, when combined with an adjective, "A is as [adjective] as B". It is a core grammar point tested frequently in HSK 2 and HSK 3.
2. Formulas and Examples
Case 1: Simple Comparison (Noun/Noun Phrase)
Use this formula to state that two nouns or noun phrases are the same.
$$A + 跟 + B + 一样$$
我的手机跟你的手机一样。 Wǒ de shǒujī gēn nǐ de shǒujī yīyàng. My phone is the same as yours.
北京的天气跟上海不一样。 Běijīng de tiānqì gēn Shànghǎi bù yīyàng. Beijing's weather is not the same as Shanghai's.
Case 2: Comparison with an Adjective
Use this formula to express that A has the same degree of a quality (adjective) as B. In English, this is equivalent to "A is as [adjective] as B".
$$A + 跟 + B + 一样 + \text{Adjective}$$
他跟我一样高。 Tā gēn wǒ yīyàng gāo. He is as tall as me.
今天跟昨天一样冷。 Jīntiān gēn zuótiān yīyàng lěng. Today is as cold as yesterday.
Case 3: Comparison with Verbs or Mental States
You can also use this structure to compare actions, preferences, or mental states by adding a verb or auxiliary verb after "一样".
$$A + 跟 + B + 一样 + \text{Verb / Verb Phrase}$$
我妹妹跟我一样喜欢看电影。 Wǒ mèimei gēn wǒ yīyàng xǐhuan kàn diànyǐng. My younger sister likes watching movies just as much as I do.
他跟我一样想去中国旅游。 Tā gēn wǒ yīyàng xiǎng qù Zhōngguó lǚyóu. He wants to travel to China just as much as I do.
3. Essential HSK Tips & Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Placing the Adjective BEFORE "一样"
English speakers often translate "as tall as" literally and place the adjective before "一样". In Chinese, the adjective must always go after "一样".
- Incorrect: 他跟我高一样。 (Incorrect word order)
- Correct:
他跟我一样高。 Tā gēn wǒ yīyàng gāo. He is as tall as me.
Mistake 2: Using Modifiers like "Very" (很, 非常) Directly Before the Adjective
In the structure "A 跟 B 一样 + Adj", you cannot place intensity modifiers like "很" (hěn) or "非常" (fēicháng) directly before the adjective. The equality is already implied by "一样".
- Incorrect: 这本书跟那本书一样很便宜。
- Correct:
这本书跟那本书一样便宜。 Zhè běn shū gēn nà běn shū yīyàng piányi. This book is as cheap as that one.
If you want to say "both are very cheap," you must rephrase the sentence:
这两本书都非常便宜。 Zhè liǎng běn shū dōu fēicháng piányi. Both of these books are very cheap.
HSK Tip 1: Interchangeable Conjunctions
In HSK exams, you will see 和 (hé) or 同 (tóng) used instead of 跟 (gēn) . They mean the exact same thing and follow the exact same formulas. "和" is slightly more formal, while "跟" is more common in spoken Chinese.
$$A + 和/同/跟 + B + 一样$$
汉语拼音和英语字母一样。 Hànyǔ pīnyīn hé Yīngyǔ zìmǔ yīyàng. Chinese Pinyin is the same as English letters.
HSK Tip 2: How to Negate Correctly
To negate the basic structure, place 不 (bù) directly before 一样 .
$$A + 跟 + B + 不一样$$
这两双鞋的大小不一样。 Zhè liǎng shuāng xié de dàxiǎo bù yīyàng. The sizes of these two pairs of shoes are not the same.
However, if you want to say "A is not as [adjective] as B," Chinese speakers usually use the "没有" (méiyǒu) comparison structure instead of "跟...不一样 + Adj".
- Awkward: 我跟他不一样高。 (This means "He and I are not of the same height", but doesn't specify who is taller).
- Better (to express "not as... as"):
我没有 ta 高。 Wǒ méiyǒu tā gāo. I am not as tall as him.