Japanese word

劣る

Pronunciation

Romajiotoru

Meaning

  • verbbe worse than

Example

私の料理は母の料理に劣ります。watashi no ryō ri wa haha no ryō ri ni oto ri ma su

My cooking is worse than my mother's.

Illustration for 劣る (be worse than)

More examples

この機種は小型ですが、耐久性では劣ります。ko no ki shu wa ko gata de su ga tai kyū sei de wa oto ri ma su

This model is compact, but it falls short in durability.

Core concept

It presents one thing as lower in quality, ability, or standing when compared with another.

Common phrases

  • 前作に劣るzen saku ni oto ru

    be inferior to the previous work

Similar words

下回るshitamawaru: To fall below a stated level, amount, or quality.
見劣りするmiotorisuru: To look less impressive or valuable beside another person or thing.
負けるmakeru: To fail to equal another person or thing in ability, quality, or performance.

Definition in Japanese

他のものと比べて、品質や能力などが低い。hoka no mo no to kura be te hin shitsu ya nō ryoku na do ga hiku i

Word origin

劣る (otoru) is a native Japanese verb, and the kanji 劣 (retsu, "inferior") was assigned to represent its meaning rather than supplying its pronunciation.

Usage tips

  • 劣る (otoru) commonly takes the particle に (ni) to mark the person or thing used as the standard of comparison, unlike the English than construction.

Other meanings

  • be inferior toverb
  • fall behindverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word