HSK 4
比如……
bǐrú……
for example…
Structure
General statement + 比如 (+ Example 1, Example 2, etc.) + 等/什么的
How it works
The word '比如' is used to introduce examples to illustrate a statement or situation. It is commonly used after a general statement to provide specific instances or details that support it.
Examples
我想去一些南方的城市，比如广州、深圳和杭州。
Wǒ xiǎng qù yìxiē nánfāng de chéngshì, bǐrú Guǎngzhōu, Shēnzhèn hé Hángzhōu.
I want to go to some southern cities, for example, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hangzhou.
多吃水果对身体好，比如苹果和葡萄。
Duō chī shuǐguǒ duì shēntǐ hǎo, bǐrú píngguǒ hé pútáo.
Eating more fruit is good for your health, for instance, apples and grapes.
你可以报个班，比如书法班或者太极班。
Nǐ kěyǐ bào gè bān, bǐrú shūfǎ bān huòzhě tàijí bān.
You can sign up for a class, such as a calligraphy class or a Tai Chi class.
Common mistakes
Placement error: Users often put '比如' at the very beginning of a sentence before the general category is mentioned, whereas it should usually follow the category it is illustrating.
Tip
When listing several examples, it is common to end the list with '等' (děng) or '什么的' (shénme de) to indicate that there are even more examples not mentioned.
More HSK 4 grammar
See 比如…… in real Chinese
Import an article and tap any sentence using it. The explanation comes back about the sentence in front of you, not a textbook example.
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