no+比较级+ than意为“与…一样不”,否定两者,大致相当于该比较级形容词或副词的反义词.
例如：
1）a．This box is not bigger than that one．这个盒子不如那个盒子大.
b．This box is no bigger than that one．这个盒子与那个盒子一样不大.（＝This box is as small as that one．）
2）a．He didn't arrive earlier than Mary．他没有玛丽来得早.
b．He arrived no earlier than Mary．他与玛丽一样来得不早.（＝He arrived as late as Mary．）
类例：no taller than＝as short as 一样矮
no more clever than＝as foolish as一样蠢
注意以下句型也属类似情况：no more than表示对两者都否定,意为“同…一样不”（＝neither …nor）：
He's no more a writer than a painter．他不是画家,也不是作家（正如他不是画家一样,他也不是作家）.（＝He is nei－ther a painter nor a writer．）
A whale is no more a fish than a horse．马不是鱼,鲸也不是鱼（正如马不是鱼一样,鲸也不是鱼）.（Neither a horse nor a whale is a fish．）