JLPT N3Spoken and written

というよりrather than; more like

The first word isn't quite right, so you swap in a better one: not so much cool as cold. Both halves describe the same thing.

今日きょうは涼すずしいというより寒さむい。

It's not so much cool today as cold.

彼かれの話はなしは説せつ明めいというより、言いい訳わけに聞きこえた。

What he said sounded more like an excuse than an explanation.

How to form it

Plain form + というより

A noun or a な-adjective goes straight on, usually with no だ: 説せつ明めいというより, 静しずかというより. というよりも and というよりは mean the same.

Before it: The description you are dropping. It can be your own first thought or what someone just said.
After it: The one you mean. むしろ often goes in front of it: 涼すずしいというより、むしろ寒さむい.
Tone: Softer than a flat no. It treats the first word as off the mark, not as false.
Where you'll meet it: Conversation and writing alike. Among friends it is often っていうより.

In use

A

会かい議ぎは大たい変へんだった？

Was the meeting difficult?

B

大たい変へんだったというより、話はなしがまとまらなくて疲つかれた。

Not so much difficult as tiring. The discussion went nowhere.

彼かの女じょは怒おこっているというより、がっかりしているようだった。

She seemed more disappointed than angry.

手て伝つだってるっていうより、邪じゃ魔ましてるよ。

You're not so much helping as getting in the way.

Two words for one thing

English "rather than" also picks between two things: the bus rather than the train. というより doesn't, and it doesn't compare two things either: that is plain より. It only sets two descriptions of one thing side by side and says the second is closer.

Not said: 今日きょうは電でん車しゃというよりバスで行いきます。

(Today I'll take the bus rather than the train.)

A choice between two things is 電でん車しゃじゃなくて、バスで行いきます.

Close neighbours

むしろN3

"If anything". It stands in front of the side you are keeping, which is often the opposite of what was expected. It works without というより too.

辛からいものは苦にが手てじゃない。むしろ好すきだ。

I don't mind spicy food. If anything, I like it.

というかN2

Looser. You try a second word, or a third, without dropping the first. With というより the second one wins.

この店みせは、居心地いごこちがいいというか、懐なつかしいというか、不ふ思し議ぎな感かんじがする。

This place is cozy, or nostalgic, or something. It has a curious feel to it.

ではなく・じゃなくてN4

A flat "not A but B", for facts and for choices.

彼かれは医い者しゃじゃなくて、看かん護ご師しです。

He isn't a doctor. He's a nurse.

Check yourself

1How is the weather?

今日きょうは暖あたたかいというより、暑あつい。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

今日きょうは昨日きのう（　　）寒さむい。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

彼かれは無む口くちというより、言こと葉ばを慎しん重ちょうに選えらぶ人ひとだ。

He isn't so much quiet as careful with his words.

驚おどろいたというより、少すこし怖こわくなった。

I wasn't so much surprised as a little scared.

この部屋へやは狭せまいというより、家か具ぐが多おおすぎる。

This room isn't so much small as too full of furniture.

あれは旅りょ行こうというより、現げん地ち調ちょう査さに近ちかかった。

That was closer to fieldwork than to a holiday.

Compared with similar forms

Or rather, in other words, in short