Translation guide
A guide to expressing comparison in Japanese, covering direct comparison, similarity, difference, and preference.
To say that one thing has more of a quality than another.
The standard pattern for 'A is more [adjective] than B'. Place the adjective in its dictionary form.
この本はあの本より面白い。
This book is more interesting than that book.
東京は大阪より大きい。
Tokyo is bigger than Osaka.
Emphasizes A as the one with more of the quality. Often used when the comparison is already clear from context.
電車のほうがバスより速い。
Trains are faster than buses.
A variation where B is mentioned first, often in response to a question or to contrast.
バスより電車のほうが速いです。
Trains are faster than buses.
To say that two things are similar or equal in some quality.
Means 'A is about as [adjective] as B'. 同じくらい literally means 'same degree'.
この車はあの車と同じくらい速い。
This car is about as fast as that car.
Used in negative sentences to mean 'A is not as [adjective] as B'. ほど indicates extent.
今日は昨日ほど寒くない。
Today is not as cold as yesterday.
Casual way to say 'A is like B'. Used for resemblance or similarity in appearance or character.
あの雲は犬みたいだ。
That cloud looks like a dog.
More formal/written equivalent of みたいだ. Means 'A is like B'.
彼の心は氷のようだ。
His heart is like ice.
To state that two things are not the same.
The most common way to say 'A is different from B'. 違う is a verb meaning 'to differ'.
この意見は私の意見と違う。
This opinion is different from my opinion.
A more formal synonym for 違う, often used in writing.
結果は予想と異なった。
The result differed from the expectation.
To express that you like one thing more than another.
Standard way to say 'I prefer A to B' or 'I like A more than B'.
犬のほうが猫より好きです。
I prefer dogs to cats.
A variation where B is mentioned first, often used for contrast.
猫より犬のほうが好きです。
I like dogs more than cats.
To compare verbs or actions, saying one is more X than the other.
Used to compare two actions. The adjective describes the action.
歩くより走るほうが速い。
Running is faster than walking.
Expresses that B is preferable to A, often with a negative connotation about A. 'I'd rather B than A'.
あの人と結婚するくらいなら死んだほうがましだ。
I'd rather die than marry that person.
The English phrase 'compare with' is often not directly translated as a single word. Instead, Japanese uses comparative structures like より, ほど, or と比べて. Using 比較する (ひかくする) is possible but sounds formal and is less common in everyday speech.
AをBと比較する
to compare A with B (formal/technical)
より is used in positive comparisons (A is more X than B). ほど is used in negative comparisons (A is not as X as B). Do not confuse them.
AはBより大きい。
A is bigger than B.
AはBほど大きくない。
A is not as big as B.