How to Say ‘Rather than a sharp pain’ in Japanese
キリキリというより
kirikiri to iu yori
[kee-ree-KEE-ree toh ee-OO yoh-REE]
💬 Usage Tip: Use A + というより to say "not so much A, more...". It's handy for correcting a guess politely: 痛いというより "not painful so much as...".
Phrase Breakdown
キリキリ
kirikiri
[kee-ree-KEE-ree]
sharp, stabbing (pain)
Onomatopoeia for a sharp, piercing pain.
胃がキリキリします。
My stomach has a stabbing pain.
というより
to iu yori
rather than
Used to correct or refine a description: 'rather than X, it's Y'. Say it as to-i-u-yo-ri.
暑いというより熱いです。
It's hot rather than warm.
Words in this phrase
と
to
[toh]
(quotation marker)
Particle that marks what was said or written, like quotation marks.
彼は「はい」と言いました。
He said "yes."
いう
iu
[ee-OO]
say; call
Part of というより, 'rather than saying'.
田中という人です。
A person called Tanaka.
より
yori
[yoh-REE]
rather than
Particle used in comparisons; after 'to iu', it means 'rather than saying...'.
痛いというより、だるいです。
Rather than painful, it feels sluggish.
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