Particles interact with the Higgs field. This gives them masses based on the strength and nature of their interaction. The Higgs field also has a quanta, a Boso

Particles interact with the Higgs field. This gives them masses based on the strength and nature of their interaction. The Higgs field also has a quanta, a Boson, which has a mass because it also interacts with the Higgs field. There is no limit that its mass be greater or less than those of the other particles'; it depends on how their interactions with the field work. By the way, here's a metaphor I like for how a field gives a particle mass. Compare throwing a ball at a given speed underwater vs in the air. In the water it will sink more for a given horizontal distance. The horizontal distance is like motion in space; the vertical distance is like motion in time. For less dense particle, the particle falls more over a given distance in space (because it is slowed down a lot). That's basically what mass means: moving through the field forces you to spend time (vertical distance in this case) to cover space (horizontal distance). Whereas a 'massless' particle would be one that doesn't interact at all with water, and passes through it unaffected. (It's not a perfect model. There's nothing like 'gravity' acting on particles in this way. But I think it's a reasonably intuitive idea of what a 'field giving a particle mass' could mean.)