Compared to

This pattern is used to make a comparison between a subject and a specific standard or reference point. It's equivalent to saying "compared to..." or "for a..." in English.

Meaning & Usage

Meaning: It establishes the noun preceding it as the basis for comparison. The clause that follows expresses a quality or state that is evaluated against that basis.

When to use: Use it when you want to express that something is more or less than expected, given a certain condition. For example, something is good for its price, or someone is mature for their age.

Formation

Nouns: Simply attach -에 비해 directly to a noun, regardless of whether it ends in a vowel or a consonant.

가격 (price) + -에 비해 → 가격에 비해 (compared to the price)

나이 (age) + -에 비해 → 나이에 비해 (compared to the age)

Verbs/Adjectives: To compare something to an action or state, you first need to turn the verb/adjective into a noun form using -(으)ㄴ/는 것.

걱정하다 (to worry) → 걱정한 것 (the fact that I worried) + -에 비해 → 걱정한 것에 비해 (compared to how much I worried)

노력에 비해 결과가 좋아. / 가격에 비해 양이 많아요. / 걱정한 것에 비해 시험이 쉬웠어.

Learners often confuse -에 비해 with -보다, as both are used for comparisons. However, they have different nuances.

-보다 (than)

-보다 is a general comparison marker, much like "than" in English. It's often used for direct, objective comparisons between two distinct things.

이것이 저것보다 좋아요. (This is better than that.)

형이 동생보다 키가 커요. (The older brother is taller than the younger brother.)

-에 비해 (compared to / for a...)

-에 비해 compares something against a standard, average, or expectation associated with the noun. It often carries a subjective judgment.

체격에 비해 많이 먹어요. (He eats a lot for his build.) This implies his eating habits exceed the expectation for someone of his size. Using 체격보다 here would be unnatural.

가격에 비해 맛있어요. (It's delicious for the price.) This suggests the taste is better than what you'd normally expect at that price point. 가격보다 would not work.