rather than, instead of, over, above
Noun +
Attached directly to a noun to indicate the standard of comparison. Used to mean 'than' or 'rather than' the attached noun.
Noun
Simply attach
犬
I like cats more than dogs.
昨日
It is colder than yesterday.
In comparative sentences, the word order can be flexible. For example, 'A is more X than B' can be expressed as 'A は B
Verb / い-Adjective informal nonpast +
Attached to the informal nonpast (dictionary) form of verbs or い-adjectives to compare actions or states.
Verb informal nonpast
Use the dictionary form of the verb before
待つ
It is better to go than to wait.
い-Adjective informal nonpast
Use the informal nonpast form of the い-adjective, which ends in い.
大きい
Smaller ones are cheaper than larger ones.
Remember to only use the nonpast dictionary form, even if the main sentence is in the past tense. Do not use the past tense form before
な-Adjective + な +
Attached to a な-adjective to compare conditions or states.
な-Adjective
Add な to the stem of the adjective, then attach
危険な
Being safe is better than being dangerous.
Be careful not to drop the な before
Noun + である +
Attached to a noun using である to compare states of being. This usually translates to 'rather than being a certain noun'.
Noun + である
Attach である directly to the noun before adding
趣味である
It is a job rather than being a hobby.
This format is used to clarify that you are comparing the state of 'being' something, which differs slightly from simply comparing two separate nouns directly. It generally has a slightly more formal nuance.