KANJI
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TRANSLATOR
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DICTIONARY
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Particle HODO (ほど)

1. 

The particle HODO denotes an approximate quantity or length. KURAI is also very common to express this idea.

山田さんは病気で1ヶ月ほど学校を休みました。
やまださん は びょうき で いっかげつ ほど がっこう を やすみました。
Yamada was absent from school for about a month because she was sick.
2. 

HODO can be used in negative sentences to form a negative comparison "not as + adjective + as... The main element is naturally the topic of the sentence introduced by the particle は (pronounced WA). This element is compared to a second element identified thanks to HODO. The final typical structure is "element1 + WA + element2 + HODO + adjective".

東京は沖縄ほど暑くありません。
とうきょう は おきなわ ほど あつく ありません。
Tokyo is not as hot as Okinawa.
3. 

The structure "verb with -BA ending + verb + HODO" is the equivalent of "the more... the more...". Note that the verb in that structure is the same, it appears twice. In the example below, it's the verb "SURU" (to do).

ゴルフは練習すればするほど上手になります。
ごるふ は れんしゅうすれば する ほど じょうず に なります。
The more you practice golf, the better you get.
4. 

The particle HODO expresses the intensity of something as being  the reason of something else occurring. HODO can be translated as "so + adjective + that...", "to such an extent that..."

うまく話せないほど緊張した。
うまく はなせない ほど きんちょうした。
I’m so nervous that I can’t speak.