というより
JLPT Level: N3
Meanings
not so much A as B
more of A than B
rather than saying that …
it's more about X than Y
Usage
Noun + というより + …
い-adjective + というより + …
な-adjective (plain) + というより + …
Verb dictionary form + というより + …
Explanation
というより is used to correct or refine what someone just said by presenting a more accurate or stronger contrast. It signals that the following description is closer to the truth than the previous interpretation. It often translates to “more like … than …,” “not so much … as …,” or “rather than saying that ….” It’s commonly used in casual to semi-formal speech when you want to pivot from a likely assumption to a more precise characterization. Typical contexts include comparing two qualities, redefining a statement, or emphasizing a nuanced distinction between what something is and what it is not.
彼は友達というより兄弟みたいだ。
かれはともだちというよりきょうだいみたいだ。
He's more like a brother than a friend.
この店は味というより雰囲気を楽しむ場所だ。
このみせはあじというよりふんいきをたのしむばしょだ。
This place is more about the atmosphere than the taste.
この文は難しいというより厄介だ。
このぶんはむずかしいというよりやっかいだ。
This sentence is not so much difficult as troublesome.
彼女は市長というよりリーダー的な存在だ。
かのじょはしちょうというよりリーダーてきなそんざいだ。
She is more of a leader than a mayor.
安いというより高すぎる。
やすいというよりたかすぎる。
It's not cheap; it's more like very expensive.