TAKOBOTO

the more... the more... as along with, to the extent
the colder it is, the more delicious sake can be made

Add formation 

さむければさむい（）つめたければつめたい（）ほどおさけがおいしくなるといわれている

the colder it is the more delicious sake can become, it is said

かれはくちもきけないほどはらをたてていた。

He could not speak, he was so angry.

ドアがしまらないほどこんでいます。

It is so crowded, the door cannot be closed

いちにちではたべきれないほどのリンゴがある。

We have more apples than we could eat in a day.

このえいごのしょうせつは、きみがいちしゅうかんでよめるほどやさしくない。

This English novel is not easy enough for you to read in a week.

このかぐのほうがひかくにならないほどじょうとうである。

This furniture is superior beyond comparison.

このくだものはつみとられるほどせいちょうしていない。

This fruit has not ripened enough to be picked.

このしごとはしぬほどしんどい。

This job is killing me.

あいするものをうしなう（こと）ほどつらいことはない。

Nothing is as terrible as losing someone you love.

このみせはぼくがのぞんでいるほどおそくまでひらいていない。

This store doesn't stay open as late as I'd like. [M]

このくすりははなみずにふしぎなほどよくきく。

This medicine will do wonders for a runny nose.

これまでおとずれたなかで、エベレストほどうつくしいやまをみたことがない。

In all my travels I've never seen a more beautiful mountain than Everest.

そういうわけで、わたしはかれをしぬほどにくんでいる。

That's why I have such an extreme hatred for him.

そのコーヒーはわたしがのめないほどあつかった。

The coffee was too hot for me to drink.

あのみせはこちらのつごうにあわせるほどおそくまでやっていない。

That shop does not stay open as late as would suit my convenience.

わたしはあなたほどいそがしいくありません。

I'm not as busy as you are.

すもうでは、ふとっているほどゆうりだ。

At Sumo, the fatter you are, the better.

Ｔｈｉｓ ｇｒａｍｍａｒ ｐａｔｔｅｒｎ ｓｈｏｕｌｄ ｈａｖｅ 〜ば Ｂｅｆｏｒｅ ほど。

yuurei007

お酒 would be 冷たい (tsumetai) not 寒い (samui), wouldn't it? I get this one confused a lot--based on situation, so I thought I'd ask to clarify.

jpeppel

Yes, but this is not talking about the sake itself - but the environment in which it is made... from the icy north comes delicious sake... ってこと？

anon

or possibly depending on context: in cold weather hot sake tastes more delicious?

anon

出来る cannot have the connotation of "taste more delicious."

bamboo4

ex. 666 and 1211 seem different from 263.
The first two have the effect coming before ほど.. can not speakほどangry. can not openほどcrowded.
Example 263 seems backwards, but is similar to the explanation for 〜ば〜ほど.
Could someone explain the first two examples, please?

gtunak85

To add to that, the first two examples, ほど has the effect of "such that."
Such that he could not speak, he was angry.
Such that the door could not be closed, it was crowded.
Does that soudn right?

gtunak85

I think it is smoother if the English versions of the first two examples read:
He was so angry that he could hardly speak.
It was so crowded that the door cluld not be closed.

bamboo4

In the second example, 閉まらないほど would be "cannot be closed" instead of opened.
In the third example, "can be made" assumes possibility of human intervention, whereas 出来る denies that. So, the English should be "can become" instead of "can be made."

bamboo4

but isn't this talking about "making" お酒 as opposed to tasting, as mentioned above (...from the icy north comes delicious sake)?

jj

i think the entry meaning should be " so〜(such)that..." for " 〜ほど "
"the more... , the more ..." should be the entry for "〜ば〜ほど " , therefore any examples with the meaning " the more... the more..." should be moved to the corresponding entry, to avoid confusion. お願い致します

誠

会場にあふれるほど、ギターを持った若者が集まっていた

戦争ほど悲惨なものはない

Have these ほど the same meaning? ?_?

Lucia06

I think "extent" is the best single-word equivalent for ほど. It fits with most of the example sentences above.

Sumofan

I agree with Sumofan. I found this sentence in a song: 飽きるほど でんわした. I called until I got tired of calling.

pingpongpaddle

I also learned that "extent" or "as much as" is a good representation for ほど.

Also, I once read a Japan Times piece about the set phrase それほどではありません。Apparently, it is good to use whenever you want to respond humbly to a compliment (e.g. about how good your lousy Japanese is).

yookoso

Yookosoさん、ありがとうございます。I have been wanting to know the polite way to say, "I know my japanese sucks, but thanks for the complement." 今まで僕は「まぁ、そんな。。。」を使いましたがそれは本当に女性の話し方ですね。一人のコーワーカは僕に「マットさん、大釜ですか？」と聞きました。ほかの人々は「やっぱりマットさんの日本語の先生が女の人ですね」ということもあります。

tigert

This is JLPT2

DrJones