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JLPT N3Comparison

～ほど— To the Extent That

Indicates a degree or extent — 'so...that' or 'to the point of.' It gives a vivid example illustrating how strong or extreme something is. It can also express comparison in negative sentences (Aは Bほど〜ない = 'A is not as...as B').

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Pro lessonUNIT 89 · COMPARISON

Structure · 形

[Verb dictionary/plain] + ほど / [い-adj] + ほど / [Noun] + ほど

Examples · 例文

  • 歩けないほど疲れた。

    Arukenai hodo tsukareta.

    I was so tired I couldn't walk.

    歩けない + ほど shows the extent of tiredness

  • 涙が出るほど嬉しかった。

    Namida ga deru hodo ureshikatta.

    I was so happy I could have cried.

    涙が出るほど illustrates the degree of happiness

  • 今日は昨日ほど寒くない。

    Kyou wa kinou hodo samuku nai.

    Today is not as cold as yesterday.

    Noun + ほど…ない expresses 'not as...as' comparison

Usage notes · 注意

  • 'So...that': gives a concrete example of the degree (歩けないほど疲れた).
  • Comparison: AはBほど〜ない = 'A is not as ... as B.'
  • Can attach to numbers/quantities meaning 'approximately' (1時間ほど).

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ～ほど is tested against.

vs～くらい／ぐらい

くらい also shows degree with a lighter, more casual/minimizing nuance; ほど tends to express a higher or more emphatic degree.

vs～より

より is a plain comparative 'than'; ほど is used in negative comparisons ('not as...as') and to express extent.

More comparison

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