All JLPT grammar
N3

~というより

Replace a description with one that fits better; 'rather than A, B', 'not so much A as B', 'more like'.

At a glance

~というより means "rather than A, it's more B" or "it's not so much A as B". You use it to replace a description with one that fits better.

[A] というより [B]

この部屋へやは涼すずしいというより寒さむいです。 This room is not so much cool as cold.


How to form it

Put the plain form before というより. The register is neutral, so the politeness comes from the end of the sentence.

Attaches to Form Example
Verb plain form (present or past) + というより 疲つかれたというより
い-adjective い-adjective + というより 寒さむいというより
な-adjective stem (no な) + というより 静しずかというより
Noun noun + というより 友達ともだちというより

With nouns and な-adjectives, だ can also come before というより: 静しずかだというより.

Examples

  • この部屋へやは狭せまいというより、居心地いごこちがいい。

    Rather than saying this room is small, it's more like it's cozy.

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The rest of the lesson

When to use it, common mistakes, nuances and a quick check, with spaced repetition to make it stick.

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