English–Japanese
“better” in Japanese
Japanese
Pronunciation
Romajimashi
Example
赤いほうがましです。aka i hō ga ma shi de su
The red one is better.
How to say “better” in Japanese
“Better” in Japanese is まし (mashi).
まし (mashi) marks a choice as having fewer disadvantages than its alternative, so it is preferable even when it is not ideal.
Example sentences with まし
高いですが、長く使えるのでましです。taka i de su ga naga ku tsuka e ru no de ma shi de su
It is expensive, but it is better because it will last a long time.
Tips for using まし
- In everyday conversation, まし (mashi) can make praise sound restrained, as in 赤いほうがましです (akai hō ga mashi desu), which prefers the red one without calling it good.