Confused with the Kanji 方

Janet Merai · 28 Dec 2008

So I am learning Japanese with Rosetta Stone (I have used other methods in the past) and even though I translated 方 already, there are some example sentences which make no sense to me.

Anyone know how to better clarify this?

私はオレンジよりりんごの方が好きです
watashi wa orenji yori ringo no hou ga suki desu
I like/enjoy Apples more than Oranges.

I can understand what is going on and all the other kana/kanji, but what I am confused about is the USAGE of 方, why is it used and what does it mean?

I have translated it to meaning "side/direction/way" but I am still confused.

Any help here?

Amigo · 28 Dec 2008

Hi!

Well, you need to think in Japanese.

I think that the meaning of the kanji 方 has to do a lot with the Japanese way of thinking. Side, direction, way, person (politely) ... and, in my opinion, addressing to, sense, about something...

...の方が... is just a set phrase that mean "more than" as you wrote.

I don't know how to translate it but I try to understand just the concept trying to think in Japanese.

Maybe, The Rosetta Stone method is not a good resort to this kind of problems.

I try to translate the way of thinking instead the word.

That's an unavoidable problem about learning languages.

Putrefaction · 28 Dec 2008

I think it is taken as a "side to", as in, I side to liking apples more than oranges. Perhaps you were thinking side, as in four sides to a triangle? It's more like, in this situation, siding with someone in a fight.

Janet Merai · 2 Jan 2009

Thank you people, I appreciate the help you have provided and it makes more sense now

I still continue to push my skills

Red5 · 12 Jan 2009

So if we say same her sentence without の方 so the sentence will be :

私はオレンジよりりんごが好きです

this sentence now right or it's completely wrong ?!!!
thanks for all

Damicci · 13 Jan 2009

I believe, より takes the translation of more than, not の方が.

Whether or not you can take の方が out of the sentence and it still be grammatically, I don't know?

Nall-ohki · 13 Jan 2009

katsumoto said:
so if we say same her sentence without の方 so the sentence will be :
私はオレンジよりりんごが好きです
this sentence now right or it's completely wrong ?!!!
thanks for all

Completely okay.

の方 in this case is merely a more explicit way of emphasizing the side you are specifying.

Here's a bit of a more "natural" conversation that might occur?

父さん！りんごとオレンジどっちがいい？
おぉ！お父さんはリンゴの方が好きね。

A completely okay response would be:
おぉ！お父さんはオレンジよりりんごが好きね。

Janet Merai · 27 Jan 2009

Thank you for the help people

Rosetta Stone really is helpful once I think in a Japanese way lol
I mean, before it was like "what?" but now I am becoming clear with how Japanese form their sentences and how its structured and what it means to think differently

Of course, I need PLENTY of practice every-day, but I improve so much :3

Confused with the Kanji 方

Janet Merai

先輩

Amigo

先輩

Putrefaction

不幸中の幸い. . . がない.

Janet Merai

先輩

Red5

後輩

Damicci

先輩

Nall-ohki

先輩

Janet Merai

先輩

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