Word · Frequency #89
than
比
Used in comparisons, to introduce the basis of comparison.
- 1.
Used in comparisons, to introduce the basis of comparison.
除...外
In use
She is taller than her brother.
I would rather walk than take the bus.
He earns more money than I do.
comparative adjective/adverb + than + [noun/clause]
用于比较，than后跟名词或从句。
She runs faster than her brother does.
她跑得比她兄弟快。
more/less + adjective/noun + than + [noun/clause]
用于多音节形容词或名词的比较。
This task is more difficult than I expected.
这个任务比我预想的更难。
rather than + [noun/verb base]
表示选择或偏好，连接并列结构。
I would stay home rather than go out in the rain.
我宁愿待在家里也不愿冒雨出去。
Common mistakes
She is more intelligent then him.She is more intelligent than him.
中文学习者常将表示时间的“then”与比较结构中的“than”混淆。在比较句中必须用“than”连接比较对象，而“then”用于时间顺序。
He is taller me.He is taller than me.
汉语比较句不需要介词，但英语形容词比较级后必须用“than”引出比较对象，不可省略。
Connections
Collocations
- more than
- 超过；不止
- She has more than ten books.她有十多本书。
- less than
- 少于；不到
- It costs less than ten dollars.它花费不到十美元。
- rather than
- 而不是
- I'll have tea rather than coffee.我要茶而不是咖啡。
- other than
- 除了
- There's no one here other than me.这里除了我没有别人。
- better than
- 比…好
- This movie is better than the last one.这部电影比上一部好。
- no more than
- 不超过；仅仅
Learner notes
Memory Tip
比较时用than，时间才用then；than比then少一个e，记住‘比较缺一点’。
Context & Register
语域：neutral 常见场景：日常交流、一般书面语 than 作为连词引出比较对象时，语体较为中性，日常口语和正式书面语中都常用到，通常无需特意区分场合。
Grammar Note
用于比较结构
Pronunciation & Spelling
than 的注音形式为 /ðæn/，与 ban /bæn/、can /kæn/、man /mæn/、pan /pæn/、ran /ræn/、van /væn/ 押韵（结尾的 /æn/ 相同）；than 以 /ð/ 开头，这些词只是韵脚相同。注意拼写相似的 then /ðen/ 和 thin /θɪn/ 读音不同，不押韵。口语中 than 常弱读为 /ðən/。
High-value vocabulary
该词属于 Oxford 核心词汇，值得优先掌握常见搭配和句型。
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 5，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Dictionary facts from DICTIONARY_API_DEV, ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.