よりも

よりも is a comparative particle that means "more than", "rather than", or "in comparison to". It is an emphatic version of より, with the addition of も adding extra emphasis to the comparison. It marks the item being compared against – the thing that comes out "less" in the comparison.

Basic comparisons

よりも is placed after the noun or clause that serves as the basis of comparison. The thing that "wins" the comparison is typically the topic or subject of the sentence.

When used with ほうが, the structure becomes even clearer: A よりも B のほうが～ means "B is more ~ than A."

"Rather than" – expressing preference

よりも can also express a preference for one option over another, translating naturally as "rather than."

Verbs in their dictionary form can come before よりも, allowing you to compare actions as well as nouns.

よりも vs. より

Both より and よりも function the same way grammatically. The difference is that よりも carries slightly more emphasis on the contrast. In everyday conversation, より alone is common, but よりも is preferred when the speaker wants to stress the comparison or when the sentence is more complex.

Common patterns

• 何よりも – "more than anything"

  なん何よりもけんこう健康がたいせつ大切です。

  Health is more important than anything.

• 誰よりも – "more than anyone"

  かれ彼はだれ誰よりもどりょく努力している。

  He works harder than anyone.

• いつよりも – "more than usual"

  きょう今日はいつよりもはやく早くおきた起きた。

  I woke up earlier than usual today.