At a glance
～に比べて means "compared to" or "in comparison with". It marks the standard you compare something against, and it is usually followed by a description of degree or change.
[Noun B] は [Noun A] に比べて [description]。
[Noun A] に比べて [Noun B] は [description]。
今年は去年に比べて寒いです。 Compared to last year, it's cold this year.
How to form it
It usually attaches to a noun. The noun before に比べて is the standard of comparison.
| Form | Example | Register |
|---|---|---|
| Noun + に比べて | 去年に比べて | Neutral, speech and writing |
| Noun + と比べて | 去年と比べて | Neutral, almost the same meaning |
| Noun + に比べ | 去年に比べ | Formal, mostly writing and news |
比べて is the て-form of the verb 比べる "to compare".