「〜に比べ（て）」 / 「〜と比べ（て）」 - Comparison and Contrast

Explanation

「〜に比べ（て）」 and 「〜と比べ（て）」 are commonly used grammatical structures in Japanese to express comparison and contrast, meaning "compared to." Both are typically followed by a noun as the object of comparison.

Grammar Pattern

Grammar Point	Connection	Explanation
Noun + に比べ（て）	+ Noun	Compares something to a benchmark or standard.

Basic Usage

• 「Aに比べてB」 indicates comparing B to A as the benchmark.

Examples

Basic Examples

• 今年ことしの花火はなび大会たいかいの観客かんきゃく数すうは昨年きょねんに比べて10パーセント以上いじょう多おおかった。

  Kotoshi no hanabi taikai no kankyaku suu wa kyonen ni kurabete 10-paasento ijou ookatta.

  The number of spectators at this year's fireworks festival was more than 10% higher compared to last year.

  
  

• 喫煙者きつえんしゃは通常つうじょうの人ひとに比べて、味覚みかくが鈍にぶくなると言いわれている。

  Kitsuen sha wa tsuujou no hito ni kurabete, mikaku ga nibuku naru to iwareteiru.

  It is said that smokers have a duller sense of taste compared to non-smokers.

  
  

Complex Examples

• 若い頃わかいころに比べて月日つきひの流ながれが早はやく感じかんじるようになった。

  Wakai koro ni kurabete tsukihi no nagare ga hayaku kanjiru you ni natta.

  Compared to when I was young, I feel like time passes more quickly now.

  
  

• 入社にゅうしゃ時じに比べて明あきらかに仕事しごとの新鮮味しんせんみが薄うすれてきている。

  Nyuusha ji ni kurabete akiraka ni shigoto no shinsenmi ga usurete kiteiru.

  Compared to when I first joined the company, the sense of novelty in my work has clearly faded.

  
  

Deep Dive

The use of 「〜に比べ（て）」 is flexible and can be adjusted based on the context and sentence structure. Understanding the nuances of this grammar point allows for more accurate and natural expressions of comparison. Additionally, this structure is used in both written and spoken language, though 「に比べ（て）」 tends to be more formal and written.

Real-Life Scenarios

• In academic writing, 「に比べ（て）」 is often used for precise comparisons.

Summary

「〜に比べ（て）」 is a commonly used comparative structure in Japanese. Understanding its usage and nuances allows for more accurate and effective communication.