ほど | To the Extent That in Japanese

Measuring Degree

ほど marks how far something goes — its extent.

• 泣(な)き出(だ)すほど嬉(うれ)しかった。(I was so happy I could have cried.)

Literally "to the extent of bursting into tears."

Three Uses

1. Extent — with a verb or clause:

• 死(し)ぬほど疲(つか)れた。(I'm dead tired.)

2. Approximation — with a quantity, similar to くらい:

• 一時間(いちじかん)ほど待(ま)ちました。(I waited about an hour.)

ほど is slightly more formal than くらい here.

3. Not as … as — with a negative:

• 今日(きょう)は昨日(きのう)ほど暑(あつ)くない。(Today isn't as hot as yesterday.)

That third use is the one worth drilling — it is how Japanese makes a "less than" comparison at all.

The Negative Comparison

A は B ほど + negative adjective

• この本(ほん)はあの本(ほん)ほど面白(おもしろ)くない。(This book isn't as interesting as that one.)

Note the direction: B is the higher one. Compare より, which marks the lower standard in a positive comparison.

The Fixed Pattern: ば〜ほど

See ば〜ほど for "the more … the more."