より

More than, Over

Structure

Noun/Verb + より + Adjective

Details

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Standard
使用域
一般

About より

In N5, we learned about the use of より that is seen when making comparisons in より～のほうが. However, in this lesson, we will take a look at how this case marking particlecan be used by itself. When used alone, this particle expresses that (A) (a noun or verb) is being compared to (B) (a noun or verb that is regularly paired with an adjective). The word that より is directly attached to will always be 'less than' the comparison being made. However, the overall expression is used to describe that (B) is 'more' (something) than (A).

パンダはバナナより重(おも)い。
Pandas are heavier than bananas.
太陽(たいよう)はロウソクより明(あか)るい。
The sun is brighter than a candle.

Caution

In many textbooks, より is taught as meaning 'more', but the word that より is attached to will actually be the thing that is 'less' (something). The word/quote that has が attached to it will be the thing that is 'more' (adjective). This is particularly confusing when より is not directly attached to a word, something which is common in casual spoken language.

これがより高(たか)いものになります。
This is the thing that would be more expensive. (Compared to everything else that is here)

In this sentence, because the が is attached to これ, これ is the thing that is 'more expensive'. As より is not actually directly connected to any other word, it therefore means that これ is expensive, compared to 'other things'. When you see より like this, just pretend that it says 'other things' before it.

Synonyms

Examples

あなたの絵(え)は私(わたし)の絵(え)より上手(じょうず)。
Your paintings are better than mine.
月曜日(げつようび)より日曜日(にちようび)がいい。
Sunday is better than Monday.
日本語(にほんご)は英語(えいご)より話(はな)しにくい。
Japanese is harder to speak than English.
いつも飲(の)んでいる水(みず)より好(す)き。
I like this (drink) more than the water that I usually drink.
スポーツをするより、ゲームの方(ほう)が楽(たの)しい。
Video games are more exciting than sports.

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Online
- How to use より
  MaggieSensei
- Using 「より」 for comparisons
  Tae Kim
- A is MORE / BETTER than B (comparison)
  Japanese Ammo

Offline
- みんなの日本語 I
  Page 80 [CH 12]
- [DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
  Page 564
- Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
  Page 270
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より – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (7 in total)

deltacat3
About 3 years ago

ああいう家よりこういう家のほうが住みたくなる。
I would like to live in this kind of house more than that kind of house.

What is the なる at the end expressing here? Doesn’t 住みたい express this desire to reside by itself?
Pushindawood
About 3 years ago
@deltacat3 Hey! ~たい means that I want to do something in that moment. ~たくなる may mean that I want to do something, but it is not as immediate or the situation at hand does not call for that desire. ~たくなる almost always implies that what the person wants to do is something that they would want to do or something that they want to do in the future.

Here’s a great answer by a native. Cheers!
dokidokiwakuwaku
About 1 year ago
Can I ask about the difference in usage/nuance between より and 以上に? Thanks!