Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
‘…is more (adjective) than…’ or ‘B is more… than A’.
🎯 Primary Function
Comparing two things, people, or actions to indicate which one possesses a quality to a greater degree.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb (Dictionary Form) より Verb (Dictionary Form) ほうが [Adjective]
Noun A より Noun B のほうが [I-Adj] です / Verb A より Verb B ほうが [I-Adj] です
Noun A より Noun B のほうが [Na-Adj] です / Verb A より Verb B ほうが [Na-Adj] です
Noun A より Noun B のほうが [Negative Adj] です
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used frequently with ‘desu’ or ‘masu’ endings in business or polite social settings.
Informal Situations
Commonly used in daily conversation by dropping ‘desu’ or replacing it with ‘da’.
Written Language
Used in essays, reports, and reviews to compare data or features.
Spoken Language
Very common in everyday speech to express opinions and preferences.
💡 Common Applications
Comparing Objects
Used to compare the price, quality, or characteristics of two items.
Example: りんごよりバナナのほうが安いです。(Bananas are cheaper than apples.)
Expressing Preference
Used to state which of two things you prefer.
Example: 犬より猫のほうが好きです。(I like cats more than dogs.)
Comparing Actions
Used to compare the difficulty or enjoyment of two different activities.
Example: 書くより読むほうが簡単です。(Reading is easier than writing.)
Frequency
High. This is the standard way to make comparisons in Japanese.
Difficulty
N5 (Beginner)
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
肉より魚のほうが体にいいです。
Furigana: にくよりさかなのほうがからだにいいです。
Romaji: Niku yori sakana no hou ga karada ni ii desu.
English: Fish is healthier than meat.
Example #2
バスより電車のほうが速いです。
Furigana: バスよりでんしゃのほうがはやいです。
Romaji: Basu yori densha no hou ga hayai desu.
English: Trains are faster than buses.
Example #3
冬より夏のほうが好きです。
Furigana: ふゆよりなつのほうがすきです。
Romaji: Fuyu yori natsu no hou ga suki desu.
English: I like summer more than winter.
Example #4
私にとって、英語より日本語のほうが難しいです。
Furigana: わたしにとって、えいごよりにほんごのほうがむずかしいです。
Romaji: Watashi ni totte, eigo yori nihongo no hou ga muzukashii desu.
English: Japanese is more difficult than English for me.
Example #5
テレビを見るより、本を読みほうが楽しいです。
Furigana: テレビをみるより、ほんをよむほうがたのしいです。
Romaji: Terebi o miru yori, hon o yomu hou ga tanoshii desu.
English: Reading books is more interesting than watching TV.
Example #6
そのりんごよりこのりんごのほうが甘いです。
Furigana: そのりんごよりこのりんごのほうがあまいです。
Romaji: Sono ringo yori kono ringo no hou ga amai desu.
English: This apple is sweeter than that one.
Example #7
東京より京都のほうが静かです。
Furigana: とうきょうよりきょうとのほうがしずかです。
Romaji: Toukyou yori Kyouto no hou ga shizuka desu.
English: Kyoto is quieter than Tokyo.
Example #8
車に乗るより、歩くほうが体にいいです。
Furigana: くるまにのるより、あるくほうがからだにいいです。
Romaji: Kuruma ni noru yori, aruku hou ga karada ni ii desu.
English: Walking is better for the health than taking a car.
Example #9
紅茶よりコーヒーのほうがおいしいです。
Furigana: こうちゃよりコーヒーのほうがおいしいです。
Romaji: Koucha yori ko-hi- no hou ga oishii desu.
English: Coffee is more delicious than tea.
Example #10
今日より昨日のほうが寒かったです。
Furigana: きょうよりきのうのほうがさむかったです。
Romaji: Kyou yori kinou no hou ga samukatta desu.
English: Yesterday was colder than today.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
The ‘Yori’ and ‘Hou ga’ order can be swapped.
‘Yori’ marks the benchmark (the thing that is ‘less’), while ‘Hou’ marks the choice that is ‘more’.
Example: Noun A より Noun B のほうが…
Reversibility of the sentence structure.
The meaning remains the same regardless of which part comes first, as long as the particles are attached to the correct nouns/verbs.
Example: 走るほうが、歩くより速いです。
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Noun A より Noun B ほうが…
✅ Noun A より Noun B のほうが…
You must include the particle ‘no’ between the noun and ‘hou’.
❌ B より A のほうが好きです (when meaning B is liked more).
✅ A より B のほうが好きです。
The item you like MORE takes the ‘hou ga’ part. Beginners often swap them.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Neutral-Polite. It can be used in almost any social situation.
Social Situations: Commonly used when shopping, ordering food, or discussing hobbies with friends.
Regional Variations: Standard throughout Japan.
🔍 Subtle Differences
より～ほうが vs ～ほど～ない
‘Yori ~ hou ga’ is an affirmative comparison (B is more than A). ‘~ hodo ~ nai’ is a negative comparison (A is not as… as B).
When to use: Use ‘yori’ to emphasize the superior quality and ‘hodo… nai’ to emphasize a lack of quality.
📝 Conjugation Notes
When using nouns, you must add ‘no’ before ‘hou’. When using verbs, use the dictionary form directly before ‘hou’.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Ensure a slight pause after ‘yori’ and ‘hou ga’ for clarity in spoken Japanese.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of ‘Yori’ as ‘than’ and ‘Hou’ as ‘side/direction’. So, ‘Compared to A, the B side is more…’.
Other Grammar
I’m a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. I’m passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.
