並み

At the level of / Comparable to / On par with Used to indicate that something reaches the same general level or standard as a reference, but does not exceed it.

N1

Meaning

At the level of / Comparable to / On par with Used to indicate that something reaches the same general level or standard as a reference, but does not exceed it.

Formation

Noun + 並み
Noun + 並みの + Noun
Noun + 並みに + Verb / Adjective

Explanation

並み is used to compare level, degree, or standard with a reference point.

It expresses that something is:

  • not inferior

  • not exceptional

  • roughly equal to an expected level

Key nuance:

  • Focuses on degree or standard, not exact measurement

  • Often used for:

    • ability

    • quality

    • scale

    • performance

  • Neutral in tone

  • Common in:

    • evaluations

    • reports

    • analytical writing

    • JLPT N1 reading passages

Important point:

並み does NOT mean “better than” or “excellent.”
It simply means “at the same level as.”