Practice JLPTHow to tell them apart
ほど emphasizes the degree or extent of a state or action, often in comparisons where something does not reach that level (ジェニファーほどよく勉強する学生はいない), while くらい expresses an approximate quantity, time, or amount (百五十万円くらい). The core distinction is that ほど frames something as a benchmark of degree, whereas くらい gives a rough estimate. Swapping them in a comparison sentence like ジェニファーくらいよく勉強する学生はいない sounds unnatural because くらい does not carry the same comparative-extent nuance.
- ほど Use ほど when expressing the extent or degree of something, especially in comparisons.
- くらい Use くらい when giving an approximate quantity, amount, or duration.
ほど hodo
To the extent of / about
To the extent of; to the extent that ~; (not as) ~ as ~; about | A particle which indicates an extent or a degree to which someone/something does something or is in some state.
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この仕事は子共でも出来るほど易しい・易しいです。
This job is so easy that even a child can do it.
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ジェニファーほどよく勉強する学生はいない。
There is no student who studies as hard as Jennifer.
くらい kurai
About/Approximately
Approximately; about | Approximate quantity or extent.
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A:その車はいくらぐらいでしたか。 B:百五十万円くらいでした。
A: About how much was that car? B: It was about 1,500,000 yen.
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スミスさんは京都に 四ヶ月くらい行っていました。
Mr. Smith was in Kyoto for about four months.
ほど and くらい are JLPT N5–N4 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side — meanings, usage and example sentences — so you can tell them apart.