Grammar › Tendency & Manner
わりに — “considering…, for a…”
Compares an outcome against an expectation set by some fact, and finds a mismatch
わりに (plain form, or noun+の / na-adj+な) sets up an expectation from one fact and then notes the actual result doesn't match it as much as you'd think — “considering X, Y is surprisingly not what you'd expect.” It can go either direction: better or worse than expected.
How to form it
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| Plain form + わりに | 値段が高いわりに、味はふつうだった — Considering the high price, the taste was just average |
| Noun + の + わりに | 子供のわりにしっかりしている — Quite composed for a kid |
Example sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| このレストランは値段が安いわりに、料理がおいしい。 | このれすとらんはねだんがやすいわりに、りょうりがおいしい。 konoresutoranhanedangayasuiwarini、ryourigaoishii。 | Considering how cheap it is, this restaurant's food is great. |
| 彼は練習量が少ないわりに、上手にプレーする。 | かれはれんしゅうりょうがすくないわりに、じょうずにぷれーする。 kareharenshuuryougasukunaiwarini、jouzunipure-suru。 | Considering how little he practices, he plays well. |
| 見た目が地味なわりに、味は濃厚だった。 | みためがじみなわりに、あじはのうこうだった。 mitamegajiminawarini、ajihanoukoudatta。 | Despite its plain looks, the flavor was rich. |
🔊 Tap any Japanese sentence to hear it; kanji link to their study pages.
Watch out
わりに always implies a mismatch with expectation — if the result actually matches expectations exactly, plain だから/ので is the right connector instead.