よりMore than, Over

Both より and 以上に are used for comparisons. In some cases, their meaning and usage can overlap, e.g. 思っていたより and 思っていた以上に both mean 'more than I thought'. In other cases, they can differ in that 以上に suggests a shared quality between the two things being compared. For example, AはBより強い simply states that A is stronger than B, while AはB以上に強い suggests that A is even stronger than B (who is also strong).

より is used to make comparisons, with Xより meaning 'more than X.' It often appears in the pattern より～のほうが, as in 'More than X, Y is...' but can also be used without のほうが. In any case, より always follows the thing being compared as 'less.' It can also directly precede adjectives—for example, より高い ('more expensive [than something]'), even if the item being compared isn't stated.

より expresses a general comparison, like 'more than (A)' or '~er,' e.g. 月曜日より水曜日がいい ('Wednesday is better than Monday.') or 走るより野球をするのが好き ('I prefer playing baseball to running.'). In contrast, というより specifically means 'more/rather than saying (A)' and is used primarily when rephrasing or clarifying something.

Both express comparison meaning ‘more than,’ and they can overlap in meaning, but the tone differs. にもまして is a more formal, literary variant often used in writing or speeches to emphasize that something exceeds another in degree, as in 昨年にもまして今年は暑い ('This year is even hotter than last year.'). より is the neutral, everyday comparative used broadly in speech and writing without added emphasis, as in 去年より今年の方が暑い ('This year is hotter than last year.').

より expresses a general comparison, like 'more than (A)' or '~er,' e.g. 月曜日より水曜日がいい ('Wednesday is better than Monday.') or 走るより野球をするのが好き ('I prefer playing baseball to running.'). In contrast, こそ adds emphasis, highlighting something as especially important, e.g. 月曜日こそ図書館に行きたい ('Monday is precisely when I want to go to the library.').

Both 以上① and より express comparisons like 'more than (A)', but with different nuances. 以上 follows numbers or nouns like これ, and means '(A) or more,' e.g. ２時間以上かかる ('It will take two or more hours.'). より makes general comparisons and does not necessarily have a nuance of measuring some quantity.

Both expressions are used for comparisons. ほど～ない makes negative comparisons, e.g. ジョンはトムほど強くない ('John isn't as strong as Tom.'). より is used for positive comparisons, e.g. トムはジョンより強い ('Tom is stronger than John.'). Note that ほど follows the greater of the two options, while より follows the lesser.