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Saying Two Things Are Equally [Adjective] in Chinese
Use A 跟 B 一样 + adjective to say that A and B share the same degree of a quality. Learn the word order, how to ask about equality, and how this pattern differs from a comparison that says one thing is more than another.
这个房间跟那个房间一样大。
Correct statement of equal size.
Read the full explanation and examples
Meaning: equal in a quality
This pattern compares two people or things with respect to one adjective. It says that A and B have the same degree of that quality: equally large, equally busy, or equally good-tasting, for example. It does not say that the two people or things are identical in every respect. The comparison is limited to the adjective you name. The local HSK 3 outline lists this as the pattern “A 跟 B 一样 + adjective”; that establishes this lesson’s scope and level, not which exam version is currently administered.
这个房间跟那个房间一样大。
Correct statement of equal size.
Build the sentence
Put the first person or thing in the A position, then 跟 (gēn, “with/as compared with”), the comparison target B, 一样 (yíyàng, “the same/equally”), and the adjective. In this pattern, 跟 connects the two sides being compared; it does not mean that A is doing something together with B. Keep the adjective after 一样. Chinese adjectives can function as the predicate here without 是. For instance, the room example ends with 大 (dà, “large”), which expresses the shared quality.
这家店的咖啡跟那家店的一样好喝。
Correct statement; 一样 applies to the adjective 好喝, meaning pleasant or good to drink.
Use it in statements and questions
Use a statement when you have reason to say that the two things match in degree. The comparison can be conversational and specific: two drinks may be equally enjoyable, even if they differ in price or ingredients. The coffee example compares only how good the coffee tastes. If the adjective is clear from context, Chinese can sometimes leave it unspoken after 一样, as in the separate outline point A 跟 B 一样. This lesson’s target pattern includes the adjective, so keep it present when you are practicing this form.
姐姐跟妹妹一样忙。
Correct statement; the comparison concerns how busy they are.
To ask whether the degree matches, add 吗 without changing the comparison order. In a neutral weather discussion, 今天的天气跟昨天一样冷吗？ asks about the degree of cold rather than asserting that it matches. The wording need not imply an exact thermometer measurement.
今天的天气跟昨天一样冷吗？
Correct yes-or-no question; it asks whether the degree of cold is equal.
A useful comparison contrast
A 跟 B 一样 + adjective reports equality in degree. A 比 B + adjective instead says that A exceeds B in that quality. Choose 一样 when you mean “just as … as”; choose 比 when you mean “more … than.” These patterns answer different questions, so do not treat one as a correction of the other. For example, saying that one room is larger than another would require the 比 comparison, not this equality pattern.
Keep the adjective after 一样
A common word-order error is placing the adjective before 一样. In this target structure, 一样 comes first and the adjective follows. Use the room sentence as a model: identify both rooms, connect them with 跟, then say 一样大.
Frequently asked questions
Does 一样 mean that A and B are exactly identical?
No. In this structure it says they are equal in the stated quality. The room example compares size, not every feature of the rooms.
How do I ask whether two things are equally [adjective]?
Keep A 跟 B 一样 + adjective in that order and add 吗 at the end, as in the weather question.
Does 跟 mean that A and B do something together here?
No. Here 跟 introduces the comparison target B. It links the two sides of the equality comparison.
