割に
wari ni
Considering; relatively; unexpectedly
A pattern that marks something as judged against an expected standard, often noting a surprising or notable result.
How to form it
Attach to the dictionary form of verbs, the stem of な-adjectives, or the plain form of nouns followed by の: 行く割に, 静かな割に, 子供の割に.
What it means
割に compares what you observe with what you'd normally expect from the category or quality mentioned. It often carries a sense of 'for someone/something of that kind' — the result may be higher, lower, or just different than you'd think. You'll hear it in daily conversation, especially with adjectives like 安い, 静か, 上手, or verbs like 食べる, 勉強する.
Example sentences
このレストランは値段の割に美味しくない。
Kono resutoran wa nedan no wari ni oishikunai.
This restaurant isn't tasty for its price.
彼は年齢の割に若く見える。
Kare wa nenrei no wari ni wakaku mieru.
He looks young for his age.
勉強した割にはテストができなかった。
Benkyō shita wari ni wa tesuto ga dekinakatta.
I studied, but the test didn't go well considering that.
Don’t confuse it with
～にしては
Both mean 'considering X', but 割に is more objective and often compares with a general standard, while にしては is more subjective and highlights a gap between expectation and reality. In many cases they're interchangeable, but 割に can also be used with positive results, whereas にしては often implies surprise at a negative or unexpected outcome.
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Neutral, used in both speaking and writing, but more common in conversational Japanese.
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What does 割に mean?
Considering; relatively; unexpectedly. A pattern that marks something as judged against an expected standard, often noting a surprising or notable result.
How do you form 割に?
Attach to the dictionary form of verbs, the stem of な-adjectives, or the plain form of nouns followed by の: 行く割に, 静かな割に, 子供の割に.
Example of 割に in a sentence
このレストランは値段の割に美味しくない。 — This restaurant isn't tasty for its price.
～にしては — what is the difference?
Both mean 'considering X', but 割に is more objective and often compares with a general standard, while にしては is more subjective and highlights a gap between expectation and reality. In many cases they're interchangeable, but 割に can also be used with positive results, whereas にしては often implies surprise at a negative or unexpected outcome.
What JLPT level is 割に?
JLPT N3 (intermediate), number 141 of 182 in Nihoner's learning order for N3.
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