等于【děngyú】

等于 is the "equals" of arithmetic and of unit conversions.

Amounts to

Between two actions or situations, it says the first has the same effect as the second. 就 often comes before it.

等于没 + verb says something achieved nothing.

不等于

不等于 denies that one thing follows from another, "doesn't mean".

Not "about the same"

等于 means exactly the same. For two things that are roughly alike, use 跟…差不多.

• × 他的中文等于我的 → 他的中文跟我的差不多

等于 is already a verb of identity, so it takes no 很 or 非常.

相当于, "roughly equivalent to", is the looser, more formal relative.