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JLPT N5Comparison

より— Than (Comparison Standard)

Marks the standard something is compared against — the 'than X' part. Whatever より attaches to is the baseline that the subject surpasses (or differs from).

Grammar path · 練習

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A short lesson: the pattern, its sentence anatomy, a quick quiz and a sentence to build.

Pro lessonUNIT 19 · COMPARISON

Structure · 形

[A]は [B]より [adjective]（です）

Examples · 例文

  • 今日は昨日より暑い。

    Kyou wa kinou yori atsui.

    Today is hotter than yesterday.

    昨日より (than yesterday) — yesterday is the baseline; today is hotter

  • 花より団子

    Hana yori dango

    Dumplings over flowers (substance over style).

    花より (rather than flowers) + 団子 (dumplings) — a famous proverb

  • 飛行機は電車より速いです。

    Hikouki wa densha yori hayai desu.

    Airplanes are faster than trains.

    電車より (than trains) — the train is the baseline that the airplane surpasses

Usage notes · 注意

  • より means 'compared to / than', never 'less than'. • Often paired with のほうが: AのほうがBより高い ('A is more expensive than B'), where のほうが highlights the winner and より marks the standard.

Commonly confused with

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

vsのほうが

のほうが points to the item that is 'more' (the winner); より marks the standard it is compared against ('than B'). They frequently appear together.

vs一番

より compares two items ('A is bigger than B'); 一番 picks the top out of three or more ('the biggest').

More comparison

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