Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
“Than,” “more than,” or “rather than.” It is used to express a standard of comparison.
🎯 Primary Function
To introduce the standard (A) against which the topic (B) is being compared, with B being superior in some quality to A. (B wa A yorimo [Adj]).
📋 Grammar Structure
Noun/Noun Phrase + よりも OR Verb (Plain Form) + こと + よりも
i-Adjective (Plain Form) + の + よりも (Nominalizer の is often used to connect)
na-Adjective (Plain Form) + な + の + よりも (Nominalizer の is often used to connect)
Plain Negative Form + こと + よりも
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Appropriate in formal speech and professional writing, especially in factual comparisons or reports.
Informal Situations
Used casually, often replacing the less emphatic より when a speaker wants to stress the difference.
Written Language
Common in essays, articles, reports, and descriptive texts.
Spoken Language
Very common in everyday conversations for making comparisons and stating preferences.
💡 Common Applications
Simple Comparison
Used to indicate that the topic (marked by は/が) possesses a quality to a greater degree than the object preceding よりも.
Example: このかばんは、あれよりも高いです。(Kono kaban wa, are yorimo takai desu. – This bag is more expensive than that one.)
Expressing Preference/Choice
Used to indicate a clear preference for one action or item over another. This usage often incorporates のほうが or が好きだ/がしたい.
Example: テレビを見るよりも、散歩に行くのが好きだ。(Terebi o miru yorimo, sanpo ni iku no ga suki da. – I like going for a walk more than watching TV.)
Setting an Extreme Standard (“More than anything else”)
Often used with words like “誰” (dare), “何” (nani), or “すべて” (subete) to emphasize that the comparison standard is comprehensive or absolute.
Example: 健康は、お金よりも大事だ。(Kenkō wa, okane yorimo daiji da. – Health is more important than money.)
Frequency
High. It is a fundamental comparative expression used daily.
Difficulty
N3-N4 Intermediate
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Example Sentences
Example #1
東京は大阪よりも人が多い。
Furigana: とうきょうは おおさかよりも ひとが おおい。
Romaji: Tōkyō wa Ōsaka yorimo hito ga ōi.
English: Tokyo has more people than Osaka.
Example #2
理論よりも実践が大切だ。
Furigana: りろんよりも じっせんが たいせつだ。
Romaji: Riron yorimo jissen ga taisetsu da.
English: Practice is more important than theory.
Example #3
彼女の笑顔は、何よりも私を元気づける。
Furigana: かのじょの えがおは、なによりも わたしを げんきづける。
Romaji: Kanojo no egao wa, nani yorimo watashi o genkizukeru.
English: Her smile cheers me up more than anything else.
Example #4
安いものよりも、品質の良いものを選びたい。
Furigana: やすいものよりも、ひんしつの いいものを えらびたい。
Romaji: Yasui mono yorimo, hinshitsu no ii mono o選びたい.
English: I want to choose things of good quality rather than cheap things.
Example #5
ゲームをするよりも、本を読む方が好きだ。
Furigana: ゲームを するよりも、ほんを よむほうが すきだ。
Romaji: Gēmu o suru yorimo, hon o yomu hō ga suki da.
English: I prefer reading books to playing games.
Example #6
思ったよりも試験が簡単だった。
Furigana: おもったよりも しけんが かんたんだった。
Romaji: Omotta yorimo shiken ga kantan datta.
English: The exam was easier than I thought.
Example #7
彼は誰よりも早く仕事が終わった。
Furigana: かれは だれよりも はやく しごとが おわった。
Romaji: Kare wa dare yorimo hayaku shigoto ga owatta.
English: He finished work earlier than anyone else.
Example #8
このレストランは、見た目よりも味が美味しい。
Furigana: この レストランは、みためよりも あじが おいしい。
Romaji: Kono resutoran wa, mitame yorimo aji ga oishii.
English: This restaurant’s taste is better than its appearance suggests.
Example #9
急ぐことよりも、正確にやることが重要だ。
Furigana: いそぐことよりも、せいかくに やることが じゅうようだ。
Romaji: Isogu koto yorimo, seikaku ni yaru koto ga jūyō da.
English: Doing it accurately is more important than rushing.
Example #10
昨日よりも今日のほうがずっと暖かい。
Furigana: きのうよりも きょうのほうが ずっと あたたかい。
Romaji: Kinō yorimo kyō no hō ga zutto atatakai.
English: Today is much warmer than yesterday.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
The role of the compared item
The item preceding よりも is the standard of comparison (the inferior or lesser item). The topic of the sentence (marked by は or が) is the superior item.
Example: 富士山はほかの山よりも高い。(Fujisan wa hoka no yama yorimo takai. – Mt. Fuji is taller than other mountains.)
Emphasis compared to より
よりも is generally considered slightly more emphatic than the simple より. It clearly stresses the contrast between the two items.
Example: より多くの人に会うよりも、少数の親友と過ごすほうが幸せだ。(Yori ōku no hito ni au yorimo, shōsū no shinyū to sugosu hō ga shiawase da. – I am happier spending time with a few close friends than meeting more people.)
Comparison with Expectations
It can follow a clause to express comparison with an expectation, belief, or state, often using the past tense (思ったよりも, 予想したよりも).
Example: 誰も予想していたよりも速いスピードで完成した。(Dare mo yosoku shite ita yorimo hayai supīdo de kansei shita. – It was completed at a faster speed than anyone expected.)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 私は彼よりもほうが背が高い。
✅ 私のほうが彼よりも背が高い。(Watashi no hō ga kare yorimo se ga takai.)
Avoid using both よりも and のほうが to mark the *same* item. They function differently: よりも marks the standard of comparison (the “inferior” item), while のほうが marks the superior item. The structure Noun A は Noun B よりも… is the most direct.
❌ 走るよりも、泳ぐほうが好きだ。
✅ 私は、走ることよりも、泳ぐほうが好きだ。(Watashi wa, hashiru koto yorimo, oyogu hō ga suki da.)
When comparing actions (verbs), the verb must be nominalized using こと (koto) or の (no) before attaching よりも. You cannot attach よりも directly to the plain form of a verb.
❌ お金より、時間が大切だ。
✅ お金よりも、時間が大切だ。(Okane yorimo, jikan ga taisetsu da.)
While より can sometimes be used in very casual speech, よりも is the standard form when you want to emphasize the comparison, especially in complete sentences. Mistaking the simpler より for よりも when emphasis is intended is a minor error.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral. The politeness is determined by the sentence ending (e.g., です/ます form) rather than the particle よりも itself.
Social Situations: Used widely in personal opinion, academic discussion, and product comparison contexts. Highly versatile.
Regional Variations: Standard usage across all regions of Japan. No significant regional variations in meaning or structure.
🔍 Subtle Differences
よりも vs. より (yori)
よりも is more emphatic and stressed. より is often used when the comparison is the main focus, without needing extra emphasis, and can sometimes sound softer.
When to use: Use よりも when you want to clearly emphasize the difference or contrast. Use より in general comparisons, especially lists or technical contexts.
よりも vs. のほうが (no hō ga)
よりも marks the *standard* of comparison (the object being compared against). のほうが marks the *superior* item. They are often used together: A よりも B のほうが [Adj].
When to use: Use よりも after the inferior item. Use のほうが after the superior item (often when comparing only two specific options).
よりも vs. ほど (hodo) [in negative sentences]
よりも states superiority (A is better than B). ほど in the negative states inferiority (A is not as good as B). BはAよりも[Adj]. BはAほど[Adj]ではない。
When to use: Use よりも for positive comparisons. Use ほど followed by a negative verb/adjective for negative comparisons.
📝 Conjugation Notes
よりも is a particle that attaches to nouns and nominalized phrases. It does not conjugate itself. When comparing verbs or adjectives, they must first be converted into a noun phrase (e.g., using こと or の).
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Pronounce ‘yori’ clearly, followed by a slight pause for the particle ‘mo.’ The whole phrase should flow naturally as a single unit: ‘yo-ri-mo.’
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of よりも as “Relative to [Yori], even [Mo].” The particle も (mo) adds an element of emphasis to the comparison, making it a stronger statement than simple より.
Other Grammar
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