Learn Hangul Grammer 15

🟩 Expressing Comparison in Korean with ‘보다’ and ‘만큼’

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🔸 1. Overview

In Korean, expressing comparison is an important part of showing opinions, emotions, and nuances. Two of the most common comparison expressions are:

• 보다 = "than" (to express superiority/inferiority)
• 만큼 = "as much as", "as ~ as" (to express equality or similar degree)

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🔸 2. ‘보다’ — "than" (Comparative)

✅ Meaning

Used to say something is more or less than something else.

✅ Structure

[Comparison target] + 보다 + [adjective/adverb]

✅ Examples

• 오늘은 어제보다 따뜻해요. = Today is warmer than yesterday.
• 저는 언니보다 키가 작아요. = I’m shorter than my sister.
• 커피보다 차를 좋아해요. = I like tea more than coffee.
• 이 일이 생각보다 쉬워요. = This job is easier than I thought.

📌 "보다" shows that the subject is superior, inferior, bigger, better, etc. than the comparison target.

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🔸 3. ‘만큼’ — "as much as" (Equality)

✅ Meaning

Used to show that two things are similar in degree or amount.

✅ Structure

[Comparison target] + 만큼 + [verb/adjective]

✅ Examples

• 그는 형만큼 키가 커요. = He is as tall as his older brother.
• 저도 너만큼 슬퍼요. = I’m just as sad as you.
• 기대만큼 좋았어요. = It was as good as I expected.
• 그 사람만큼 열심히 일하는 사람은 없어요. = No one works as hard as he does.

📌 "만큼" is great for empathy, emotion, and showing equal effort or feeling.

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🔸 4. Key Differences

Expression	Use	Example
보다	Comparison, superiority	그는 나보다 키가 커요. = He is taller than me.
만큼	Equality, similar degree	그는 나만큼 키가 커요. = He is as tall as me.

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🔸 5. Subtle Nuance

• 보다 = often competitive, shows difference
  → "I’m better than you!"
• 만큼 = often empathetic, shows similarity
  → "I feel just as hurt as you."

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🔸 6. Practice Examples

1. This movie is more fun than the last one.
   → 이 영화는 지난 영화보다 더 재미있어요.
2. I am as tired as you.
   → 나도 너만큼 피곤해.
3. Today is colder than yesterday.
   → 오늘은 어제보다 추워요.
4. She sings as well as a professional.
   → 그녀는 프로 가수만큼 노래를 잘해요.