JLPT N1 Grammar

〜とは比べものにならない (to wa kurabemono ni naranai)

〜とは比べものにならない (to wa kurabemono ni naranai)
“Cannot be compared with; Is in a different league from; Far superior/inferior to”

This expression is used to emphasize that two things are so different in degree, quality, or scale that a comparison is essentially meaningless. It suggests a massive gap between the subject and the point of comparison.

  • Formality: Neutral to Formal.
  • Context: Used in both spoken and written Japanese. It is common in business reports (comparing performance), marketing (highlighting product superiority), and editorials. It can also appear in daily conversation when expressing strong personal impressions.
  • Nuance: It carries a tone of emphasis and sometimes amazement or resignation. While it often highlights how much better something is, it can also be used to describe how much worse or more intense a situation is (e.g., "The heat this year cannot be compared to last year").

Format

  • Noun + とは比べものにならない
    今の給料は、以前の会社とは比べものにならない。 My current salary cannot be compared with (is much better than) my previous company.
  • Verb (Plain Form) + のとは比べものにならない
    自分で作るのとは比べものにならないほど、プロの料理は美味しい。 Professional cooking is delicious to a degree that cannot be compared with making it oneself.
  • い-Adj + の + とは比べものにならない
    今年の暑さは、去年が涼しかったのとは比べものにならない。 The heat this year is on a level that cannot be compared to how cool it was last year.
  • な-Adj + なの + とは比べものにならない
    今のシステムが便利なのは、昔が不便だったのとは比べものにならない。 How convenient the current system is cannot be compared to how inconvenient things were in the past.

Example sentences

  • 、。
    This term's sales are doing so well they cannot be compared to the previous term.
  • 、。
    The speed of the Shinkansen is in a different league compared to conventional train lines.
  • 、。
    The manager's negotiation skills are incomparable to those of a newcomer like me.
  • 、。
    The stress of working in the city cannot be compared to that of the countryside.
  • 、。
    The code written by a professional is refined to a degree that an amateur's cannot match.
  • 、。
    The nervousness of giving a presentation in Japanese is incomparable to when doing it in my native language.
  • 、。
    The budget for this project is so massive that it cannot be compared to the cases I handled before.
  • 、。
    The communication speed of 5G is incomparable to previous standards.
  • 、。
    The difficulty of living locally cannot be compared to just visiting as a tourist.
  • 、。
    The social damage he suffered cannot be compared to the monetary loss.

Similar Grammar

〜に（は）及ばない (ni wa oyobanai)

“Cannot reach; Falls short of; Not necessary”
実力では、彼には及ばない。 In terms of actual ability, I fall short of him.

Difference:

  • Focuses on not reaching a certain level or standard.
  • It can also mean "there is no need to do X."

〜と比較にならない (to hikaku ni naranai)

“Incomparable to...”
新製品の売れ行きは、旧モデルと比較にならない。 The sales of the new product are incomparable to the old model.

  • Difference:
  • Very similar in meaning but slightly more technical/objective.
  • Often used in formal data analysis or business presentations.

〜どころではない (dokoro de wa nai)

“Far from; Not just...”
仕事が忙しくて、休むどころではない。 I'm so busy with work, it's far from a situation where I can rest.

Difference:

  • Emphasizes that the current situation is so extreme that the compared action is impossible or irrelevant.

〜に越したことはない (ni koshita koto wa nai)

“Nothing is better than...; It is best to...”
準備は万全であるに越したことはない。 It’s best for preparations to be perfect.

Difference:

  • Used to state that while something isn't strictly mandatory, it is the ideal or safest choice.

〜はおろか (wa oroka)

“Let alone...; Not to mention...”
彼は漢字はおろか、ひらがなも書けない。 He can't write Hiragana, let alone Kanji.

Difference:

  • Used to say that if something "obvious" (B) is true, then something more "extreme" (A) is definitely true.

JLPT Practice Questions

Now let’s test your understanding.

Q1. のは、（　　　）ほど、なものだった。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q2. のをもってすれば、も（　　　）だろう。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q3. のをした、（　　　）のに立っている。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q4. （　　　）、のをすることは。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q5. のは、のにおいて、の（　　　）ほどの大問題だ。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q6. のは、が（　　　）とは比べものにならない。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q7. システムは、の（　　　）圧倒的なを誇っている。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q8. がし、も（　　　）というにしている。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q9. のをのは、（　　　）とは比べものにならない。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q10. によるの影響は、（　　　）深刻な事態となっている。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q11. のに比べれば、の（　　　）ちっぽけなものだ。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q12. には、での（　　　）困難が。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q13. のは、（　　　）ものとしてにだろう。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q14. （　　　）、のにをことは難しい。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Q15. でしては、（　　　）とは比べものにならない。
A.
B.
C.
D.

Continue Your Journey to Native-Level Fluency

Great work finishing this session! Achieving N1-level precision is about layering these subtle distinctions until they become second nature in your professional life.

To maintain your momentum and eliminate any remaining blind spots, head back to our JLPT N1 Grammar List. Use it to systematically check off each point and refine your ability to navigate complex Japanese environments with the confidence of a native speaker.

JLPT N1 Grammar List

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