particle N4 essential casualpolitewritten

〜より — than / from

〜より・より

Meaning

① than (comparison): than ~ — marks the standard something is measured against

② from (formal): from ~ — a starting point in time or space; the written/formal equivalent of から

Key sentence

① than (comparison)

電車でんしゃは車くるまより速はやい。

The train is faster than the car.

② from (formal)

会議かいぎは三時さんじより始はじまります。

The meeting begins from three o'clock.

Formation

Attaches to	Form	Example
Noun / plain clause	N + より; often paired AのほうがBより〜	犬いぬより猫ねこのほうが好すき

Examples

① than (comparison)

今日きょうは昨日きのうより暑あつい。

Today is hotter than yesterday.

思おもったより簡単かんたんだった。

It was easier than I thought.

② from (formal)

受付うけつけは九時くじより行おこないます。

Reception starts from nine o'clock.

東京駅とうきょうえきより徒歩とほ五分ごふん。

A five-minute walk from Tokyo Station.

Easily confused with

〜ほどより marks what is exceeded (AはBより高たかい = 'A is taller than B'). For the reverse — 'A is not as ~ as B' — Japanese uses Bほど〜ない (AはBほど高たかくない). から For 'from' a point in time/space, より is the formal, written choice (announcements, signs); から is the everyday spoken word with the same meaning.

See 〜より in real sentences

Jengo shows 〜より the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.

Study it in Jengo

Sources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar, A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar, A Dictionary of Intermediate Japanese Grammar.

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