より - Grammar Discussion

Grammar Points
#1

Structure

  • Noun/Verb + より + Adjective

About より

In N5, we learned about the use of より that is seen when making comparisons in より～のほうが. However, in this lesson, we will take a look at how this case marking particle can be used by itself. When used alone, this particle expresses that (A) (a noun or verb) is being compared to (B) (a noun or verb that is regularly paired with an adjective). The word that より is directly attached to will always be ‘less than’ the comparison being made. However, the overall expression is used to describe that (B) is ‘more’ (something) than (A).

  • パンダはバナナより重おもい。

Pandas are heavier than bananas.

  • 太陽たいようはロウソクより明あかるい。

The sun is brighter than a candle.

Caution

In many textbooks, より is taught as meaning ‘more’, but the word that より is attached to will actually be the thing that is ‘less’ (something). The word/quote that has が attached to it will be the thing that is ‘more’ (adjective). This is particularly confusing when より is not directly attached to a word, something which is common in casual spoken language.

  • これがより高たかいものになります。

This is the thing that would be more expensive. (Compared to everything else that is here)

In this sentence, because the が is attached to これ, これ is the thing that is ‘more expensive’. As より is not actually directly connected to any other word, it therefore means that これ is expensive, compared to ‘other things’. When you see より like this, just pretend that it says ‘other things’ before it.

For additional resources and example sentences, view on Bunpro

[For a simple guide to terms used in grammar explanations, click here!]

1 Like
#2

Hope I’m in the right thread to ask this question, but I’m confused.
What is the difference between yori … no hou ga and only using yori in a comparison? Thanks!

2 Likes
#3

@monoverse

Hey, this is the perfect place to ask these questions :+1:

The differences:

  • 方 is a noun meaning “side” and refers to the “upper” element in comparison, and より is a particle meaning (among others) “rather than” and marks “lower” element in comparison

  • 方が and より have their own set expressions, where the other cannot be used like:
    方がいい - 薬を飲んだ方がいい (You better drink the medicine)
    より (even more) この教科書をより使いやすくしました。
    (We made this textbook even easier to use.)
    より (from) 大統領より呼び出しです (It is a call from the president."
    etc.

  • Yの方がXより is used more often when answering the question, and YはXより is used often when Y (topic) was already mentioned. Though it doesn’t mean that YはXより cannot be used in the first case.
    Example:
    トムとジェリーとどちらの方が速い？ (The question.)
    トムよりジェリーの方が速い。(The more common answer.)
    ジェリーはトムより速い。(The less common answer, but possible and correct.)

ジェリーは僕の好きなネズミだよ。(Jerry is my favorite mouse.)
ジェリはミッキーより面白い。 (Jerry is more fun than Mickey.)

If you said ジェリーは僕の好きなネズミだよ。ジェリーの方がミッキーより面白い。then the second sentence would seem kind of out of place.

They are used quite often together as よりーの方が construction.
That is it. I hope it helps.

Cheers :+1:

PS
トムとジェリーとどちらの方が速い？
トムよりジェリーの方が速い。

You can change the order and it will be still correct:
ジェリーの方がトムより速い。
You can also omit より (since it is clear what we are comparing to in this context.)
ジェリーの方が速い。

3 Likes
#4

Hey, I have a question:
In this sentence: いつも飲んでいる水 __好き。
Why is より and よりも accepted?

#5

The も emphasises it a bit. The Maggie Sensei article linked under readings covers it, so I guess they were anticipating us trying to use it…

2 Likes
#6

ああいう家よりこういう家のほうが住みたくなる。
I would like to live in this kind of house more than that kind of house.

What is the なる at the end expressing here? Doesn’t 住みたい express this desire to reside by itself?

#7

@deltacat3 Hey! ~たい means that I want to do something in that moment. ~たくなる may mean that I want to do something, but it is not as immediate or the situation at hand does not call for that desire. ~たくなる almost always implies that what the person wants to do is something that they would want to do or something that they want to do in the future.

Here’s a great answer by a native. Cheers!

2 Likes
#8

Can I ask about the difference in usage/nuance between より and 以上に? Thanks!