勝まさる

ま

さ

る

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

勝る · godan verb (-ru)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	勝まさる	勝まさらない
Polite	勝まさります	勝まさりません
Past polite	勝まさりました	勝まさりませんでした
Past	勝まさった	勝まさらなかった
Te-form	勝まさって	勝まさらないで
Desire	勝まさりたい	勝まさりたくない
Potential	勝まされる	勝まされない
Passive	勝まさられる	勝まさられない
Causative	勝まさらせる	勝まさらせない
Causative passive	勝まさらせられるalso 勝まさらされる	勝まさらせられないalso 勝まさらされない
Volitional	勝まさろう
Polite volitional	勝まさりましょう
Imperative	勝まされ	勝まさるな
Conditional	勝まされば	勝まさらなければ
Tara conditional	勝まさったら	勝まさらなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

excel; surpass; be superior

Used when one thing is better, stronger, or more skilled than another. Often appears in comparisons with より or に勝る.

彼かれは英えい語ごの力ちからではクラスの誰だれにも勝まさる。
He surpasses everyone in the class in English ability.
健けん康こうは富とみに勝まさる。
Health is better than wealth.

godan verb (-ru), intransitive verb

outweigh; preponderate

Used when one factor is more important or has greater weight than another. Often in formal or written contexts.

この問もん題だいでは、利り点てんが欠けっ点てんに勝まさる。
In this matter, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.

See all 30 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉が〈物もの〉に勝まさるA surpasses / is superior to B
彼かれの実じつ力りょくは他たの選せん手しゅに勝まさる。
His skill surpasses that of the other players.
〈事こと〉が〈事こと〉に勝まさるX outweighs Y in importance
安あん全ぜん性せいが便べん利りさに勝まさる。
Safety outweighs convenience.
〈物もの〉に勝まさるものはないthere is nothing better than X
健けん康こうに勝まさるものはない。
There is nothing better than good health.

Expressions

何なににも勝まさるsurpassing everything; better than anything · to be better than anything
文ぶんは武ぶに勝まさるthe pen is mightier than the sword
聞ききしに勝まさるexceeding what one had heard; beyond expectations
勝まさるとも劣おとらぬnot at all inferior to; compare favorably with; even better than
悪あく名みょうは無む名めいに勝まさるbetter to be infamous than unknown

Kanji

勝victory, win, prevail
優tenderness, excel, surpass

Related words

優すぐれるN3sense 1
優れる describes a static quality of being excellent, while 勝る expresses the act of surpassing something else in a direct comparison.
凌しのぐN1sense 1
凌ぐ implies overcoming or outdoing something despite difficulty, while 勝る is a more neutral term for simply being better in a comparison.
上うわ回まわるN2sense 2
上回る is used for exceeding a specific number, amount, or level, while 勝る covers broader comparisons of quality or ability.
凌りょう駕が
勝る means to be better in a particular respect, while 凌駕 implies a more sweeping, comprehensive surpassing.
秀ひいでる
勝る is used for direct comparison ('A is better than B'), while 秀でる describes standing out in a skill or field without necessarily naming a rival.

Opposites

劣おとるN2sense 1
劣る is the direct antonym of 勝る, meaning to be inferior rather than superior in a comparison.
負まけるN5sense 1
負ける means to lose a contest or match, while 勝る's sense of being surpassed is more precisely expressed by its antonym 劣る.

Don't confuse with

勝かつN5
勝つ means to win an actual contest or match, while 勝る means to be superior to something in a comparison, without any contest taking place.

Word family

男おとこ勝まさり
strong-minded; spirited; mannish
心こころ勝まさり
better than expected; surpassing expectations
親おや勝まさり
surpassing one's parents
立たち勝まさる
be superior; surpass; excel

Written forms

勝まさるUsage41%
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency in news and general use.
まさるUsage44%
優まさるUsage15%
Alternate kanji emphasizing superiority in quality or skill; less common than 勝る.

Etymology

The verb まさる is native Japanese. The kanji 勝 is associated with winning and superiority, while 優 suggests gentleness and excellence. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.