差不多 About the Same in Chinese

晚上wǎnshang，朋友péngyou在zài做饭zuòfàn，我wǒ坐zuò在zài旁边pángbiān等děng，已经yǐjīng有点儿yǒudiǎnr饿è了le。

In the evening my friend is cooking, and I sit beside her and wait — I'm already a little hungry.

她tā说shuō：“再zài等děng五wǔ分钟fēnzhōng，菜cài差不多chàbuduō了le。”

She says: "Wait five more minutes, the food's almost ready."

五wǔ分钟fēnzhōng后hòu，我们wǒmen坐下zuòxià吃饭chīfàn，我wǒ问wèn她tā：“味道wèidao跟gēn上次shàngcì一样yíyàng吗ma？”

Five minutes later, we sit down to eat, and I ask her: "Does it taste the same as last time?"

她tā说shuō：“差不多chàbuduō，可能kěnéng盐yán放fàng得de有点儿yǒudiǎnr多duō。”

She says: "Pretty much — maybe I put a little too much salt."

吃chī完wán饭fàn，我们wǒmen一起yìqǐ去qù商店shāngdiàn，我wǒ看kàn了le看kàn一件yí jiàn衣服yīfu，觉得juéde颜色yánsè不错búcuò。

After eating, we go to the store together, and I look at a piece of clothing and think the color's nice.

朋友péngyou说shuō：“别bié想xiǎng太tài多duō了le，这zhè件jiàn差不多chàbuduō，就jiù买mǎi这个zhège吧ba。”

My friend says: "Don't overthink it — this one's close enough, just buy it."

我们wǒmen走zǒu出chū商店shāngdiàn，我wǒ的de包bāo里lǐ多duō了le一件yí jiàn新xīn衣服yīfu。

We walk out of the store — my bag now has one more new piece of clothing in it.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

差不多chàbuduōalmost the same; close enough

味道wèidaotaste; flavor

上次shàngcìlast time

盐yánsalt

颜色yánsècolor

包bāobag

差不多了（almost done; almost ready）

差不多 describes something nearly finished or nearly at its target, often followed by 了.

再等五分钟，菜差不多了。— Wait five more minutes, the food's almost ready.

A 跟 B 差不多（A and B are about the same）

差不多 between two things being compared says they're nearly identical, with only a small difference.

差不多，可能盐放得有点儿多。— Pretty much the same, maybe there's a little too much salt.

差不多，就 V 吧（good enough — just go with it）

Said about a choice, 差不多 means something is close enough to be acceptable, so there's no need to keep deliberating.

这件差不多，就买这个吧。— This one's close enough, just buy it.

1. What does "菜差不多了" mean here?

2. What does the friend say might be slightly different this time?

3. Why does the friend say "这件差不多，就买这个吧"?

After this reading

I'm Fei, and I teach Mandarin one-on-one on Preply. Bring this text to a trial lesson — we'll fix your tones and turn it into a real conversation.