from~ (a time, place, or person) (より [2]) – Japanese Grammar より [2] (yori)

Q: What JLPT level is より [2]?

JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage

Q: How do you use より [2] in a sentence?

Attach より [2] to the appropriate verb or noun form. From~ (a time, place, or person)

Q: Is より [2] formal or casual Japanese?

より [2] is typically used in formal or written Japanese contexts.

より [2]

N2 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

yori

from~ (a time, place, or person)

少しも～ない sukoshi mo~nai というものではない to iu mono dewa nai っこない kkonai はもとより wa moto yori ばかり bakari 幸いなことに saiwai na koto ni てでも te demo せめて semete つつある tsutsu aru やがて yagate をめぐって o megutte 恐らく osoraku ては～ては tewa~tewa もう少しで mou sukoshi de ぬ nu を問わず o towazu ては / では tewa / dewa からと言って kara to itte だって datte に関わる ni kakawaru 少しも～ない sukoshi mo~nai というものではない to iu mono dewa nai っこない kkonai はもとより wa moto yori ばかり bakari 幸いなことに saiwai na koto ni てでも te demo せめて semete つつある tsutsu aru やがて yagate をめぐって o megutte 恐らく osoraku ては～ては tewa~tewa もう少しで mou sukoshi de ぬ nu を問わず o towazu ては / では tewa / dewa からと言って kara to itte だって datte に関わる ni kakawaru

🃏 Flashcard

より [2]

yori

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from~ (a time, place, or person)

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N2

Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage

Reading yori

Post ID 51182

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

from~ (a time, place, or person)

📖 How to use it

Expresses the starting point of an action or state in time, place, or from a person, often used in formal or written Japanese.

Attaches to Attach to a noun (time, place, or person) directly, without a particle before より. For example: ９時より (from 9 o'clock), 駅より (from the station), 先生より (from the teacher).

This より indicates a point of origin—where or when something starts, or from whom something is received. It is more formal than から and commonly appears in announcements, official notices, and written Japanese. In speech, から is the usual choice, but より adds a stiff, official tone.

With time, it marks the beginning of an event or period. With place, it marks the origin of movement or action. With a person, it marks the giver or sender, as in letters or messages. When used with person, it often appears in set phrases like 先生より (from your teacher) at the end of a note.

Note that this より is different from the comparison particle より (than). In comparison, it follows the standard of comparison. Here, it simply marks a starting point. Context and the noun before it will disambiguate.

会議は１０時より始めます。

Kaigi wa juuji yori hajimemasu.

The meeting will start from 10 o'clock.

こちらは駅より徒歩５分です。

Kochira wa eki yori toho gofun desu.

This place is a 5-minute walk from the station.

保護者の皆様へ。担任の田中より。

Hogosha no minasama e. Tannin no Tanaka yori.

To all guardians. From your homeroom teacher, Tanaka.

Not から (kara) から is used in both speech and writing and is neutral in tone. より is more formal and is preferred in official or written contexts. In conversation, using より may sound stiff. For example, '駅から歩く' is natural spoken Japanese, while '駅より歩く' would be found in written directions.

Register Formal and mostly written; used in announcements, notices, and official documents. In conversation, から is preferred.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

より [2]

📚 How to Master This Pattern

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Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat より [2] three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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Flip Before Reading

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Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using より [2]. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

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Spaced Review

Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.

🔗 More JLPT N2 Patterns

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よほど / よっぽど

very; greatly; much; to a large extent

よりほかない

to have no choice but~

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern より [2] mean? ▼

From~ (a time, place, or person)

What JLPT level is より [2]? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use より [2] in a sentence? ▼

Attach より [2] (yori) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is より [2] formal or casual Japanese? ▼

より [2] is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.

How can I remember より [2] long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.