Translation guide
In Japanese, expressing comparison depends on whether you are comparing two items, stating something is the most, or making a metaphorical comparison. Common patterns include より (than), のほうが (more), and 一番 (the most).
Express that one thing has more of a quality than another.
Basic pattern for 'A is more X than B'. より marks the standard of comparison.
東京は大阪より大きいです。
Tokyo is bigger than Osaka.
今日は昨日より暑いです。
Today is hotter than yesterday.
Emphasizes A as the one that is more X. のほうが highlights the subject.
大阪より東京のほうが大きいです。
Tokyo is bigger than Osaka (emphasizing Tokyo).
More explicit comparison, often used in writing or formal speech.
日本とアメリカとでは、日本のほうが安全です。
Between Japan and America, Japan is safer.
Express that one thing has less of a quality than another.
Use ほど with negative form to mean 'not as X as'. For な-adjectives, use ではない; for い-adjectives, use くない.
この本はあの本ほど面白くないです。
This book is not as interesting as that one.
今日は昨日ほど寒くないです。
Today is not as cold as yesterday.
Reversed order, still meaning 'A is not as X as B'.
あの本ほどこの本は面白くないです。
This book is not as interesting as that one.
Compare the degree or frequency of actions.
Use より directly after the noun to compare actions.
私は弟より勉強します。
I study more than my younger brother.
彼は私より早く走ります。
He runs faster than me.
Emphasizes A as the one who does the action more.
私のほうが弟より勉強します。
I study more than my younger brother (emphasizing me).
Express that something is the most among a group.
一番 means 'number one' or 'most'. で marks the group or category.
クラスで彼が一番背が高いです。
He is the tallest in the class.
日本で富士山が一番高い山です。
Mt. Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan.
Formal/literary equivalent of 一番, often used in writing.
Express that something is similar to something else.
Attaches to nouns with の, or verbs/adjectives in plain form. Means 'like' or 'as if'.
彼は子供のようです。
He is like a child.
まるで夢のようです。
It's just like a dream.
Casual equivalent of よう. Used in spoken Japanese.
あの雲、犬みたい。
That cloud looks like a dog.
Suffix meaning '-ish' or 'tends to'. Attaches to nouns or verb stems.
彼は子供っぽい。
He is childish.
Express that two things have the same degree of a quality.
同じくらい means 'about the same'. Use with adjectives.
この車はあの車と同じくらい速いです。
This car is as fast as that car.
ほど in a positive sentence can mean 'to the extent that', implying a high degree, but not exactly equality. Often used with ない for negative comparison.
Positive ほど is less common for equality; it often implies 'so X that...' rather than 'as X as'.
今日は昨日ほど暑いです。
Today is as hot as yesterday (to that extent).
Both can express comparison, but のほうが emphasizes the subject. Use より when the standard of comparison is more important, and のほうが when the subject is the focus.
コーヒーより紅茶のほうが好きです。
I prefer tea over coffee (emphasizing tea).
English 'than' is not a separate word in Japanese; it is expressed by particles like より or ほど. Do not try to translate 'than' directly.
これは最も重要な問題です。
This is the most important problem.