The core meaning
寒いというより、風が痛い means 'rather than merely cold, the wind hurts.' The speaker has a first label in mind, then decides a second expression fits better. It can gently correct someone else's wording or refine your own. This makes it useful when neither term is entirely false, but the first does not capture the important nuance.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 寒いというより、風が痛い。 | Samui to iu yori, kaze ga itai. | It is less 'cold' than 'the wind actually hurts'. |
| これは旅行というより、仕事です。 | Kore wa ryokō to iu yori, shigoto desu. | This is more work than a vacation. |
How to form it
Put the first word or clause before というより: 寒いというより, 旅行というより, 怒っているというより. Then give a better description after the comma. In speech, っていうより is common. The form can introduce a phrase rather than a full sentence, but the intended correction should be easy to follow.
| Use | Japanese form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Adjective | 寒いというより | Rather than cold |
| Noun | 旅行というより | Rather than a trip |
| Spoken | っていうより | Conversational rather than |
Natural examples
Read each sentence for the relationship between the first idea and the second. The English translation gives a natural meaning, while the Japanese wording shows exactly where the pattern attaches.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 彼は怒っているというより、心配しているようです。 | Kare wa okotte iru to iu yori, shinpai shite iru yō desu. | He seems worried rather than angry. |
| パーティーというより、小さな集まりでした。 | Pātī to iu yori, chiisana atsumari deshita. | It was more a small gathering than a party. |
Compare the nearby pattern
犬より猫が好き compares two separate preferences. 怒っているというより、心配している describes one person's state with a better label. というか is a related conversational self-correction, often looser and less explicitly comparative.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 犬より猫が好きです。 | Inu yori neko ga suki desu. | I prefer cats to dogs. |
| 旅行というより、仕事でした。 | Ryokō to iu yori, shigoto deshita. | It was better described as work than as a trip. |
The two examples may describe similar situations, but they lead the listener to different conclusions. Choose the form that matches the claim you really intend to make.
Common mistake to avoid
Do not use というより for two unrelated facts, such as 晴れというより電車に乗った. The second phrase must improve or correct the description introduced by the first. If you only mean 'A happened, and then B', use ordinary sequencing.
- Replaces an imprecise description
- First label + というより + better label
- Spoken っていうより is common
- Different from comparing two separate things
Try it yourself
Take an ordinary description that misses the point, such as 'busy' for an overwhelming day. Use というより to replace it with a more precise expression.
Say your sentence once slowly while looking at the Japanese pattern. Then say it again without reading. If your second clause changes from a possibility to a fact, or from advice to a requirement, revise it so the grammar still matches your meaning.