보다
boda[po̞da̠]
In Korean, 'more than' is expressed as 보다 (boda).
When you use this phrase, the noun placed immediately before 보다 is the object that is considered 'lesser' or the baseline in the comparison.
Which one should you use?
It is important to distinguish between the particle and the verb. While 보다 acts as a particle meaning 'more than' when attached to a noun, it is also the dictionary form of the verb meaning 'to see' or 'to look'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle 보다 is attached directly to the noun that serves as the standard of comparison.
How do you pronounce it?
boda
Did you know?
- While the particle 보다 is used for comparisons, the verb 보다 can also mean 'to take an exam' or 'to have a date', expanding its meaning far beyond 'seeing'.
- The use of 보다 can be shifted to 보다는 to add a nuance of contrast, subtly implying that while one thing is 'more', the other is being dismissed or sidelined.
- When comparing two things, the 'winner' of the comparison is often not mentioned in the phrase containing 보다, as the context of the conversation fills in the gap.
Examples in context
- 네가 나를 사랑하는 것 보다 내가 너를 더 사랑해.I love you more than you love me.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use 보다 in a comparison of affection.Tatoeba #906131 by Sudajaengi, translation #17829 by lazycat
- 그릇 한 개보다 그릇 두 개가 더 많다.Two bowls are more than one bowl.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 보다, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
