JLPT N5 · Particles
より (yori)
より (yori) — than (comparison)
In short · より marks the thing you compare against: "A は B より …" = A is more … than B.
Pattern
-
A は B より 〜。A is more … than B -
B より A の ほうが 〜。A is the more … one (than B)
Comparing two things
Put より after the standard of comparison: でんしゃは バスより はやいです (the train is faster than the bus).
Word order
The topic (A) takes は; the thing compared against (B) takes より; the adjective comes at the end.
ほうが (the "more" side)
To stress the bigger one, add ほうが: でんしゃの ほうが はやいです (the train is the faster one).
Examples
-
でんしゃは バスより はやいです。
Densha wa basu yori hayai desu.
The train is faster than the bus.
-
きょうは きのうより さむいです。
Kyō wa kinō yori samui desu.
Today is colder than yesterday.
-
にくより さかなの ほうが すきです。
Niku yori sakana no hō ga suki desu.
I like fish more than meat.
より + ほうが pairs up for "more … than".
Common mistakes
- より comes right after the thing you compare against (B より), not after A.
- Japanese adjectives have no "-er / more" ending — comparison is shown by より, not by changing the adjective.
More grammar points
- は は (wa) — the topic particle
- を を (o) — the object particle
- に に (ni) — time, destination, location
- で で (de) — place of action & means
- と と (to) — and / together with
- の の (no) — possessive & noun linker
- へ へ (e) — direction
- も も (mo) — also / too
- か か (ka) — the question marker
- から から・まで — from … to …
- だけ ～だけ — “only ～”
- で ～で — place, means and cause
- が ～が — marks the subject
- か か — the question particle
- まで ～まで — “until / up to ～”
- も ～も — “also / too”
- なあ ～なあ — sentence-final feeling
- ね ～ね — “..., right? / isn’t it?”
Practice this in the app
Mainichi JLPT turns these grammar points into daily quizzes and a readiness gauge — 100% free, no sign-up.