しか and ほど are two important adverbial particles at the N3 level. They share one trait: they frequently appear with negative forms. But their functions are completely different — しか limits to one thing, ほど measures degree.
しか〜ない: Only (with regret)
しか must be followed by a negative, expressing "nothing other than this":
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 彼にしかできない仕事だ。 | It's a job only he can do. |
| お金が千円しかない。 | I only have 1,000 yen. |
| 日本語しか話せない。 | I can only speak Japanese. |
しか vs だけ
Both translate as "only," but the nuance differs:
| しか〜ない | だけ | |
|---|---|---|
| Nuance | Regret/dissatisfaction (too few) | Neutral statement (just this much) |
| Negation | Must use negative | No negative needed |
| Example | 千円しかない | 千円だけある |
しか carries a sense of disappointment — "only this much, it's not enough." だけ simply states the scope objectively.
ほど〜ない: Not as... as
ほど + negative creates a comparison — "A is not as... as B":
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 台湾は日本ほど寒くない。 | Taiwan is not as cold as Japan. |
| ビールほど美味しい飲み物はない。 | There's no drink more delicious than beer. |
「A は B ほど〜ない」= A is not as... as B. ほど marks the benchmark for comparison.
The second example is a superlative expression: 「B ほど〜ものはない」= nothing is more... than B = B is the most...
ほど: Degree (Affirmative)
In affirmative sentences, ほど expresses "to such a degree that..." — often used for exaggeration:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| もう涙が出ないほど泣いた。 | I cried so much I had no tears left. |
| 死ぬほど疲れた。 | I'm dead tired. |
| 信じられないほど美味しい。 | Unbelievably delicious. |
ほど in affirmative sentences = "to the degree of..." followed by vivid descriptions.
ば〜ほど: The more... the more...
ば conditional + ほど = the more you do, the more it becomes:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| やればやるほど夢中になる。 | The more you do it, the more absorbed you get. |
| 考えれば考えるほどわからなくなる。 | The more I think, the less I understand. |
| 練習すればするほど上手になる。 | The more you practice, the better you get. |
Use the same verb twice: 「V-ば V-dictionary ほど」. It expresses that as A increases, B increases too.
Quick Reference
| Pattern | Meaning | Requires negative? |
|---|---|---|
| しか〜ない | Only (with regret) | Yes |
| ほど〜ない | Not as... as / Nothing more than | Yes |
| ほど (affirmative) | To the degree of... | No |
| ば〜ほど | The more... the more... | No |
Self-Test
Q1. Which sounds more disappointed: 「お金が千円しかない」 or 「お金が千円だけある」?
Show answer
しかない sounds more disappointed. しか implies "only this much, it's not enough"; だけ simply states "I have 1,000 yen" neutrally.
Q2. What does 「台湾は日本ほど寒くない」 mean? Which place is colder?
Show answer
It means "Taiwan is not as cold as Japan" — Japan is colder. ほど marks the benchmark (Japan), and the negative shows that Taiwan doesn't reach that level.
Q3. Complete the sentence: 「食べれば食べるほど＿＿」
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For example: 「食べれば食べるほど太る。」= The more you eat, the fatter you get. ば〜ほど expresses "as A increases, B also increases."