Lesson 16
Comparison: unlike / more than / cannot match
- 1 〜にひきかえ ~ni hikikae in contrast to ~ Puts two things side by side and gives the speaker's own feeling: 'one is good, the other is bad'.
- 2 〜にもまして ~ni mo mashite even more than ~ 'It was already ~ before, but now it's even more so' — a formal way to show something has gone up further.
- 3 〜ないまでも ~nai made mo even if not ~, at least Not all the way to the top level, but at least one step below it — the 'at least this much' form.
- 4 〜てまでも ~te made mo even going so far as to ~ Going as far as a big sacrifice or risk most people wouldn't take — the 'that far?!' form.
- 5 〜とは比べものにならない ~to wa kurabemono ni naranai cannot even be compared with ~ The gap is so big that comparing is pointless — the 'in a different league' form.
- 6 〜には及ばない ~ni wa oyobanai cannot match ~ / not up to ~'s level In skill, level or records: 'still not up to that' — this form.
- 7 〜きっての ~kitte no the very best / most ~ in (the group) A formal way to praise someone or something as 'number one' within a company, town or field.
Lesson check
All 7 forms of this lesson together — pick the right one from its look-alikes, the way the exam does. 6/8 completes the lesson.
🔒
「去年の不作＿＿＿、今年は米がたくさんとれて農家も喜んでいる。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:Last year bad, this year good — the exact opposite.
N + にひきかえ = in contrast to ~ (with a good/bad feeling). 「にもまして」says 'that too, this even more' — a bad harvest and a good one are opposites.
「去年も寒かったが、今年の冬は去年＿＿＿寒さが厳しい。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:'Last year was cold too, this year even more'.
去年にもまして = even more than last year. 「にひきかえ」would mean the opposite (last year wasn't cold) — it clashes with 去年も寒かった.
「満点は＿＿＿、合格点は必ず取りたい。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:'Even without full marks, at least a pass mark'.
Vない + までも = even if not the ideal level, at least. 「てまでも」means 'going as far as an extreme means' — it doesn't fit.
「借金を＿＿＿、ブランドのバッグを買いたいとは思わない。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:Taking a loan = an extreme means.
Vて + までも = even going as far as ~. 借金してまでも買いたいとは思わない = I don't want to buy it if it means a loan. 「しないまでも」= 'even if not, at least' — it makes no sense here.
「最新のスマホのカメラは、10年前の物＿＿＿。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:The sentence ends here — the gap is huge.
N + とは比べものにならない = cannot even be compared. 「にひきかえ」「にもまして」「きっての」all need something after them; the sentence can't end there.
「彼の日本語もかなり上手だが、通訳歴20年の先生＿＿＿。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:Good, but still not up to that level.
N + には及ばない = not up to ~'s level. 'Quite good, but still below' — it works for a small gap too.
「田中さんは社内＿＿＿営業のプロで、毎月トップの成績だ。」— fill the blank.
💡 Hint:'The best in the company' + noun.
N (group) + きっての + N = the very best in the group. It links straight to the noun after (営業のプロ).
Which sentence is natural?
💡 Hint:Recall each form's key restriction.
毎日とは言わないまでも = not every day, but at least once a week — correct. きっての is praise only; no negative after にもまして; 比べものにならない is not for a small gap.
Your score: /8