仅次于…
second only to; just behind
Structure
A 仅次于 B （＝A排在B后面，比其他都强）
What it means
Second only to, just behind: 仅 is “only” and 次 “next in rank”, so A comes straight after B and ahead of everything else.
How it is built
A + 仅次于 + B (noun phrase): 长江的长度仅次于尼罗河和亚马孙河 (The Yangtze is behind only the Nile and the Amazon). With amounts, the owner stands for the amount: 金牌数仅次于挪威.
When to use it
Written, for rankings, statistics and news; in speech say 排第二 or 只比…差一点. 不亚于 (no less than) puts A level with B; 低于 (lower than) says nothing about rank.
Watch out
Don't add a degree after it: ✗仅次于他很多; it already means “just behind”. After two items A is third, not second: 仅次于挪威和德国 = third.
Examples
中国的金牌数仅次于挪威和德国，与美国并列第三。
China’s gold medal count was second only to Norway’s and Germany’s, level with the United States in third place.
长江是世界第三长河，长度仅次于尼罗河和亚马孙河。
The Yangtze is the third-longest river in the world, behind only the Nile and the Amazon.
这家店的烤鸭，在我心里仅次于我妈做的。
In my book this restaurant’s roast duck is second only to my mum’s.
Learn this in Lesson 147 · HSK 7–9: 冬奥之后的冰雪 (Ice and snow after the Winter Olympics)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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