〜より / 〜のほうが: Comparing Two Things ('More Than')
What より marks
より is the "than" particle: it tags the thing you are comparing against — the standard, the side that loses the comparison. Japanese has no special comparative ending like English "-er" or "more," so nothing happens to the adjective. 高い stays 高い whether it means "tall" or "taller," and より around the noun is what turns it into a comparison at all.
より vs のほうが
The particle learners tangle より with is its own partner, のほうが. Where より marks the loser, のほうが literally means "the side of ___ is more" and spotlights the winner. They are two ends of the same seesaw, and in a full comparison they usually appear together — より naming the standard, のほうが naming your pick. The short version: より = "than" (the thing beaten); のほうが = "more" (the thing that wins).
Where より sits
より sticks directly onto the noun it follows (モチより, 昨日より) with no extra particle — never モチをより or モチがより. It comes after that noun, not before it (モチより, not よりモチ), because it glues onto the word in front of it. Beyond that, only which thing you make the subject and where のほうが lands changes:
| Frame | Pattern | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Plain "than" | A は B より [adjective] | A is more [adj] than B |
| Reversed (very common) | B より A のほうが [adjective] | A is more [adj] than B |
| Same, reordered | A のほうが B より [adjective] | A is more [adj] than B |
| Answer to a question | A のほうが [adjective]（です） | A is the more [adj] one |
より in use
The plainest frame just names the subject and hangs より on the standard:
ヤッタンはモチより背が高い。
ヤッタンは モチより せが たかい。
Yattan is taller than Mochi.
より attaches right after モチ = 'than Mochi.'
今日は昨日より暑いです。
きょうは きのうより あついです。
Today is hotter than yesterday.
The reversed BよりAのほうが frame is the one you will hear most in everyday speech: lead with the standard (B + より), then push the winner forward with のほうが:
モチよりヤッタンのほうが速いです。
モチより ヤッタンの ほうが はやいです。
Yattan is faster than Mochi.
The のほうが frame: より names the loser, のほうが marks the winner.
バスより電車のほうが便利です。
バスより でんしゃの ほうが べんりです。
The train is more convenient than the bus.
先生はヤッタンより日本語のほうが上手です。
せんせいは ヤッタンより にほんごの ほうが じょうずです。
The teacher is better at Japanese than Yattan is.
のほうが follows a noun directly; な-adjectives like 上手 work the same way.
Flip it to AのほうがBより and the meaning holds — you just lead with the winner instead:
ヤッタンのほうが弟より早く起きます。
ヤッタンの ほうが おとうとより はやく おきます。
Yattan wakes up earlier than his little brother.
のほうが can sit before or after the より phrase.
To ask "which of two is more [adj]?" use AとBとどちらが〜? The natural answer drops より — the question already named both options — and just marks your choice with のほうが:
コーヒーと紅茶とどちらが好きですか。
コーヒーと こうちゃと どちらが すきですか。
Which do you like more, coffee or tea?
紅茶のほうが好きです。
こうちゃの ほうが すきです。
I like tea more.
The answer drops より and just marks the choice with のほうが.
Watch-outs
- Don't put a particle before より. It attaches straight to the noun — モチより (✓), not モチをより or モチがより.
- Don't flip the order. より comes after the standard: モチより背が高い (✓), never より モチ.
- In the reversed frame, keep both markers. バスより電車のほうが便利 (✓) needs より to name the other side; 電車のほうが便利 alone is fine only as a short answer once both things are known.
- より is for two things only. For "the ___-est" out of a group of three or more, Japanese switches to a different word, いちばん.
The short version
- より = "than"; it marks the thing you compare against and attaches right after that noun, with no を or が.
- のほうが = "the side of ___ is more"; it marks the winner of the comparison.
- Two main frames: AはBより[adj] and the reversed BよりAのほうが[adj] — same meaning.
- Answer どちらが questions with Aのほうが〜; you can drop より there.
- The adjective never changes form; for "the most," use いちばん.
Practice it
Choose the correct use of より / のほうが to compare two things.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
Choose the grammar pattern that best completes the sentence.
オーボエ奏者なんかは自分にあうリードを探す＿＿＿作った方が速いと、自分で作ってしまう人もいる。
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between より and のほうが?
より means 'than' and marks the thing you compare against (モチより = 'than Mochi'). のほうが marks the side that is 'more' (ヤッタンのほうが = 'Yattan is more...'). They usually appear together: モチよりヤッタンのほうが速い.
Do I always need both より and のほうが?
Not always. AはBより[adj] works with just より. But the very common reversed frame BよりAのほうが[adj] uses both, and short answers can use のほうが alone.
How do I answer 'AとBとどちらが〜?'
Pick your choice and mark it with のほうが: 紅茶のほうが好きです ('I like tea more'). You don't need より again because the question already named both options.
How do I say 'the most' instead of 'more'?
より only compares two things. For 'the most' out of a group of three or more, use いちばん instead.
Where 〜より / 〜のほうが fits
Don't confuse it with
- は · N5 — は marks the topic of a sentence — 'as for X.' Learn how it flags known information, its contrast use, why it's read 'wa,' and how it differs from が.
- 〜ほうがいい · N5 — 〜ほうがいい gives advice: use the past (た) form for 'you should do X' (休んだほうがいい) and the ない-form for 'you'd better not' (行かないほうがいい). Learn the forms and nuance.
Once this clicks, go on to
- は · N5 — は marks the topic of a sentence — 'as for X.' Learn how it flags known information, its contrast use, why it's read 'wa,' and how it differs from が.
Hear it in a real conversation
See this pattern used naturally in a real-situation dialogue:
More N5 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜でしょう / 〜だろう — でしょう means 'probably' and, with a rising tone, 'right?'. Learn how it attaches to verbs, adjectives, and nouns, its casual form だろう, and why forecasts love it.
- 〜けど / 〜が — けど and が join two clauses to mean 'but' or 'although': 高いけど買う. が is more formal, けど is conversational. Learn both, plus the polite softener use (すみませんが…).
- 〜がほしい — ほしい expresses wanting a thing (a noun): 〜がほしい. Learn the formation, the が particle, the 〜てほしい variant ('want someone to do'), and how it differs from 〜たい.
- 〜たい — 〜たい attaches to a verb stem to say what you want to do. Learn the formation, why it conjugates like an i-adjective, the が/を switch, how to talk about other people's wants (たがる), and see 12 examples.
- 〜てみたい — 〜てみたい means you want to try doing something: 日本に行ってみたい. Learn how it combines 〜てみる ('try doing') and 〜たい ('want'), plus how to conjugate it.
- 〜つもり — つもり expresses a personal plan or intention: 行くつもりです ('I plan to go'). Learn the dictionary-form pattern, negatives, つもりだった, and how it differs from よてい and 〜よう.