Level 5 · Advanced
Rather than: 与其…不如
与其 + Option A，不如 + Option B · Traditional: 與其 + Option A，不如 + Option B
与其…不如 (yǔqí…bùrú) weighs two options and rejects the first: 与其在家等，不如出去找他 "rather than waiting at home, we'd be better off going to look for him." Option A after 与其 is the one you're turning down.
The second half often adds 还 or 倒 (不如还是…), and the whole pattern pairs naturally with advice. If you just want plain "B is better than A" without the deliberating flavor, simple A 不如 B does the job.
Examples
与其在家等，不如出去找他。
與其在家等，不如出去找他。
yǔ qí zài jiā děng bù rú chū qù zhǎo tā
Rather than wait at home, we'd be better off going to look for him.
与其买这么贵的衣服，不如多买几件便宜的。
與其買這麼貴的衣服，不如多買幾件便宜的。
yǔ qí mǎi zhè me guì de yī fu bù rú duō mǎi jǐ jiàn pián yi de
Instead of buying such expensive clothes, better to get several cheap ones.
与其抱怨，不如想办法解决问题。
與其抱怨，不如想辦法解決問題。
yǔ qí bào yuàn bù rú xiǎng bàn fǎ jiě jué wèn tí
Rather than complain, better to find a way to solve the problem.
与其坐车去，不如走路去，还能锻炼身体。
與其坐車去，不如走路去，還能鍛鍊身體。
yǔ qí zuò chē qù bù rú zǒu lù qù hái néng duàn liàn shēn tǐ
Rather than drive, we might as well walk — it's exercise, too.
Common mistakes
✗ 与其在家等，更好出去找他。
✓ 与其在家等，不如出去找他。
与其 pairs with 不如 (or 宁可) — never with 更好.
Related grammar points
Practice this pattern in graded stories like Can't Take It Anymore (Part 1) inside the Literate Chinese app.
