Core Function
より marks comparison - "than" in English.
Main Use: Comparison
Pattern: [B]より[A]は[Adjective]
東京はロンドンより大きい
"Tokyo is bigger than London"
犬は猫より好き
"I like dogs more than cats"
今日は昨日より暑い
"Today is hotter than yesterday"
Alternative Pattern
[A]は[B]より[Adjective]
私は兄より背が高い
"I'm taller than my older brother"
この本はあの本より面白い
"This book is more interesting than that book"
With のほうが
Often combined with のほうが for emphasis:
AよりBのほうが[Adjective]
"B is more [adjective] than A"
猫より犬のほうが好き
"I like dogs more than cats"
Formal Alternative Meaning: From
In formal/written Japanese, より can mean "from":
友達より手紙が来た
"A letter came from my friend"
(Formal - から more common in speech)
会社よりお知らせ
"Notice from the company"
Cannot Use より
For equality (use と同じくらい)
✗ AよりBは同じ
✓ AとBは同じくらい
"A and B are about the same"
With superlatives (use 一番)
✗ 皆より速い
✓ 一番速い
"the fastest"
Common Patterns
[B]より[Adjective]
寿司より美味しい - "more delicious than sushi"
[B]より[A]のほうが[Adjective]
犬より猫のほうが好き - "like cats more than dogs"
Key Takeaways
✓ Marks comparison ("than")
✓ Position: [B]より[A]は[Adjective]
✓ Often with のほうが
✓ Formal "from" in written Japanese
Related: