ほど

noun

limit; bounds

Expresses a limit or boundary, often in phrases like ほどがある (there is a limit) or ほどをわきまえる (know one's place).

• 冗じょう談だんにもほどがある。

  There's a limit even to jokes.

noun

span of time; distance

Used after a quantity or expression to indicate an approximate span of time or distance. Often interchangeable with くらい.

• 駅えきまで歩あるいて十じゅっ分ぷんほどの距きょ離りです。

  It's about a ten-minute walk to the station.

• 一いち時じ間かんほど待まったが、彼かれは来こなかった。

  I waited for about an hour, but he didn't come.

noun

state of; condition of

Used in the pattern 〜のほど to refer politely or indirectly to someone's state or condition. Common in formal or business contexts.

• ご多た忙ぼうのほど、お察さっし申もうし上あげます。

  I understand how busy you must be.

particle

about; approximately; or so

Attached to a quantity or expression to mean 'about' or 'approximately'. Similar to くらい, but ほど can sound slightly more formal.

• 彼かれは三さん十じゅっ歳さいほどに見みえる。

  He looks about thirty years old.

particle

as much as; to the extent of; like

Used in comparisons to indicate the degree or extent, often with a negative or in phrases like 〜ほど〜はない (nothing is as ... as ...).

• 彼かの女じょほど親しん切せつな人ひとはいない。

  There is no one as kind as her.

particle

the more ... the more ...

Used in the pattern 〜ば〜ほど to express a proportional relationship: the more one thing happens, the more another thing happens.

• 考かんがえれば考かんがえるほど、分わからなくなる。

  The more I think about it, the less I understand.