HSK 5
(与其)……不如……
( yǔqí)…… bùrú……
rather than… better to…
Structure
(与其) + Option A + 不如 + Option B
How it works
This structure is used to express a preference between two options. It indicates that after weighing the pros and cons, the speaker believes the second option is superior to the first.
Examples
与其坐在那儿担心，不如想办法解决问题。
Yǔqí zuò zài nà'er dānxīn, bùrú xiǎng bànfǎ jiějué wèntí.
Rather than sitting there worrying, it's better to find a way to solve the problem.
与其买便宜的次品，不如多花点钱买个质量好的。
Yǔqí mǎi piányí de cìpǐn, bùrú duō huā diǎn qián mǎi gè zhìliàng hǎo de.
Rather than buying cheap, defective goods, it's better to spend a bit more money to buy a high-quality one.
与其在这儿等公共汽车，我们不如打车去吧。
Yǔqí zài zhè'er děng gōnggòng qìchē, wǒmen bùrú dǎchē qù ba.
Rather than waiting for the bus here, we might as well take a taxi.
Common mistakes
Students often mistakenly swap the two options; remember that the preferred action always follows '不如'.
Tip
In casual conversation, the first part '与其' is sometimes omitted, and the speaker starts directly with '不如' to offer a suggestion.
More HSK 5 grammar
See (与其)……不如…… in real Chinese
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