より

Than (Comparison)

Level 1Sounds Like yori

より marks the item you are comparing against. It is the Japanese equivalent of 'than' in English.

How It Works

より is the primary particle for making comparisons in Japanese. It identifies the baseline or 'loser' in a comparison.

1. Basic Sentence Structures
There are two common ways to structure a comparison:
• Noun A より Noun B のほうが [Adjective] です (B is more [Adjective] than A).
• Noun B は Noun A より [Adjective] です (B is [Adjective] than A).

Example: 猫（ねこ）より犬（いぬ）のほうが好きです。 (I like dogs more than cats.)
Example: この本（ほん）はあの本（ほん）より安（やす）いです。 (This book is cheaper than that book.)

2. Asking Questions
To ask which of two things is more [Adjective], use the pattern: A と B と、どちらのほうが [Adjective] ですか。
Example: りんごとバナナと、どちらのほうが好（す）きですか。 (Between apples and bananas, which do you like more?)

3. Using it with Verbs
You can compare actions by using the dictionary form of a verb before より.
Example: 買う（かう）より作る（つくる）ほうが安いです。 (Making it is cheaper than buying it.)

4. Implicit Comparison
Sometimes the 'subject' is omitted if it's obvious from context. If you say 「より速く」（よりはやく）, it means 'faster (than before/than others).'

5. Formal Use: 'From'
In formal or written contexts, より can mean 'from'. A very common use for beginners is signing the end of a letter or a card to indicate the sender.
Example: 田中（たなか）より (From Tanaka)

6. Important Nuance
より is used for affirmative comparisons. If you want to say something is 'not as... as...', you should use ほど instead.

Examples (4)

  1. 北海道は東京より寒いです。

    Hokkaido is colder than Tokyo.

    Word by Word: Hokkaido (topic) Tokyo than cold is.

    Here, Tokyo is the standard of comparison marked by より.

  2. 漢字を書くより読むほうが難しいです。

    Reading kanji is more difficult than writing it.

    Word by Word: Kanji (object) write than read way (subject) difficult is.

    より follows the dictionary form of the verb 'to write' to compare two actions.

  3. 今日は昨日よりずっと暑いですね。

    It's much hotter today than yesterday, isn't it?

    Word by Word: Today (topic) yesterday than much hot is, right?

    ずっと is often used with より to mean 'much more'.

  4. バスより電車のほうが速いです。

    The train is faster than the bus.

    Word by Word: Bus than train way (subject) fast is.

    This shows the classic 'A より B のほうが' pattern.

Common Mistakes

  • Attaching より to the 'winner' of the comparison.

    りんごより好きです。(Intending: I like apples more)
    みかんよりりんごが好きです。

    In English, we say 'More than X'. In Japanese, より marks the thing you like LESS. If you say 「りんごより好き」, it means you like something else MORE than apples.

  • Using より in a negative comparison (not as... as).

    バスより速くないです。
    バスほど速くないです。

    For negative comparisons ('not as fast as'), Japanese speakers prefer using ほど instead of より.

How It Connects

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よりLevel 1Than (Comparison)

Learn This First

To understand 'より' (than), you need to know how to form a basic sentence and use adjectives to describe things. It is also helpful to understand the topic marker 'は', as it identifies what is being compared.

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