Japanese grammar

What does ～ほど mean? Japanese grammar N4

～ほど means to the extent of ~ / (not) as much as ~.

Quick facts
Level (estimated, JLPT framework)	N4
Structure	N ほど～ない V (plain form) ほど Aいほど
Romaji	~ hodo
Meaning	to the extent of ~ / (not) as much as ~

Forming it

Indicating degree	V (plain form) / Aい + ほど
Negative comparison	N + ほど + ～ない
Proportional (the more...the more)	V (ば-form) + V (dictionary form) + ほど

States a degree for comparison, or used in a negative comparison meaning "not as ~ as".

Use 1 — NEGATIVE COMPARISON: 「AはBほど～ない」= A is not as ~ as B. 「今日は昨日ほど暑くないです」(today is not as hot as yesterday). Note the order: the item before ほど is the standard of comparison, and the sentence MUST be negative.
Use 2 — INDICATING DEGREE: 「お腹が痛いほど笑いました」(laughed so hard my stomach hurt). This is a way to express a strong degree through a concrete image.
Distinguish from くらい/ぐらい: both can be translated as "about/to the extent of," so Vietnamese speakers often mix them up. Practical rule: NEGATIVE COMPARISON (not as ~ as) can only use ほど, not くらい. Conversely, estimating everyday QUANTITIES (about 3 people, about 5 minutes) sounds more natural with くらい, while ほど sounds formal/written.
The form 「～ば～ほど」 = "the more ~, the more ~": 「練習すればするほど上手になります」(the more you practice, the better you get).

今日(きょう)は昨日(きのう)ほど寒(さむ)くないです。
Today is not as cold as yesterday.
お腹(なか)が痛(いた)いほど笑(わら)いました。
I laughed so hard my stomach hurt.
日本語(にほんご)は練習(れんしゅう)すればするほど上手(じょうず)になります。
The more you practice Japanese, the better you get.

ほど used for quantity is still correct but sounds stiff, suited to written language/announcements: 「三十分ほどお待ちください」.
A negative comparison with ほど does NOT mean "B is far superior to A" — it only says A falls short of B.

If the sentence ends with ～ない and compares two things → it's almost certainly ほど.