Quiz : comparison・contrast 30-1
Comparative
Superlative
Comparative
Noun-1 は Noun-2 より Adjective です
meaning : Noun-1 is more … than Noun-2.
You pick up something ( Noun-1 ) as a topic, and compare its degree with another thing ( Noun-2 ).
“より” is used to compare 2 things.
いちろうは じろうより せが たかいです。 ichirō [wa] jirō [yori] se [ga] takai-desu. ( Ichiro is taller than Jiro. ) |
ほっかいどうは とうきょうより さむいです。 hokkaidō [wa] tōkyō [yori] samui-desu. ( Hokkaido is colder than Tokyo. |
Noun-1 より Noun-2 のほうが
meaning : Noun-2 is more … than Noun-1.
You pick up 2 things to compare their degree, and you say one of those is “more … ” or “less … ” than another one.
わたしは やまより うみのほうが すきです。 watashi [wa] yama [yori] umi [no] hō [ga] suki-desu. ( I like sea more than mountains. ) |
Question & Answer
A : コーヒーと こうちゃと どちらが すきですか?
kōhī [to] kōcha [to] dochira [ga] suki-desuka?
( Which do you like coffee or tea? )
B : コーヒーのほうが ( こうちゃより ) すきです。
kōhī [no] hō [ga] ( kōcha [yori] ) suki-desu.
( I prefer coffee. )
Noun-1 は Noun-2 ほど … ません
meaning : Noun-1 is not as … as Noun-2.
The degree of 2 things is not much different, but the degree of “Noun-1” can not reach the degree of “Noun-2”.
トロントは モントリオールほど さむくないです。 toronto [wa] montoriōru [hodo] samu-kunaidesu. ( Toronto is not as cold as Montreal. ) |
It should not be used to compare things which are completely different degree.
??? フィレステーキは いえほど たかくないです。 ( Fillet steak is not as expensive as a house. ) |
くるまは いえほど たかくないです。 kuruma [wa] ie [hodo] taka-kunaidesu. ( A car is not as expensive as a house. ) |
Both a car and a house is expensive
Superlative
Noun が いちばん Adjective です
meaning : Noun is the most …
‘いちばん’ means ‘the most’ or ‘the best’.
わたしの いぬが いちばん かわいいです。 watashi [no] inu [ga] ichiban kawaī-desu. ( My dog is the cutest. ) |
‘ … で’ is used, when you say about the best ‘of all’. This ‘all’ means the whole thing that it can not be divided.
わたしの いぬが せかいで いちばん かわいいです。 watashi [no] inu [ga] sekai [de] ichiban kawaī-desu. ( My dog is the cutest in the world. ) |
いちろうは クラスで いちばん あしが はやいです。 ichirō [wa] kurasu [de] ichiban ashi [ga] hayai-desu. ( Ichiro is the fastest in the class. ) |
‘ … のなかで’ is used, when you say about the best from several things.
わたしたち 3にんの なかで、いちろうが いちばん あしが はやいです。 watashitachi san-nin [no] naka [de] ichirō [ga] ichiban ashi [ga] hayai-desu. ( Ichiro is the fastest among 3 of us. ) |
I like a yellow bag more than a green bag.
A : Which do you like Udon noodle or Soba noodle?
B : I prefer Udon noodle.
Today is not as hot as yesterday.
The highest mountain in Japan is Mt. Fuji.

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