〜くらいなら: 'Rather Than That' (Meaning + Examples)
Naming the option you'd rather avoid
〜くらいなら attaches to a verb (or noun + の) describing something undesirable, and the rest of the sentence names a preferred alternative — often with 〜ほうがましだ ("would be better/less bad") or just a flat preference. The tone is strong: the speaker finds the くらいなら option nearly intolerable.
そんなに嫌なら、辞めるくらいなら別の方法を考えたほうがいい。
そんなに いやなら、やめるくらいなら べつの ほうほうを かんがえたほうが いい。
If you dislike it that much, rather than quitting, you should think of another way.
くらいなら naming the option to avoid, then a better alternative.
やったんは宿題をコピーするくらいなら、徹夜してでも自分でやる。
やったんは しゅくだいを こぴーするくらいなら、てつやしてでも じぶんで やる。
Rather than copy someone's homework, Yattan would rather pull an all-nighter and do it himself.
Original example: くらいなら framing copying as unacceptable.
そんな生活をするくらいなら、一人のほうがましだ。
そんな せいかつを するくらいなら、ひとりの ほうが ましだ。
Rather than live that kind of life, being alone would be better.
Form: Verb (dictionary form) / Noun + くらいなら
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (dictionary form) | Vる + くらいなら | 謝るくらいなら = rather than apologize |
| Noun | N + くらいなら | あんな仕事くらいなら = rather than [do] that kind of job |
くらいなら、最初からするな。
くらいなら、さいしょから するな。
If it's going to come to that, don't even start in the first place.
くらいなら referencing something already mentioned in context.
くらいなら vs より
より is a neutral comparison — "more than" without judgment. 〜くらいなら is never neutral: it always signals that the named option is close to the worst-case scenario, and the speaker is choosing the lesser evil. Don't use くらいなら for a plain, calm comparison; save it for expressing real reluctance or exasperation.
The short version
- 〜くらいなら = "rather than (do X)..." — X is framed as barely tolerable.
- Attaches to: verb dictionary form, or Noun, directly before くらいなら.
- Nuance/register: strong, often exasperated preference; frequently paired with 〜ほうがましだ.
- Don't confuse with: より, a neutral comparison with no implied distaste.
Practice it
Choose the correct use of 〜くらいなら to express a strong preference over a disliked option.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
そんなに嫌なら、＿＿＿辞めたほうがいい。
Where 〜くらいなら fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- Conditional 〜たら · N4 — 〜たら is Japanese's most flexible conditional: just add ら to the plain past. Learn the formation, the 'if/when' meaning, the discovery use, and how it beats ば/と for requests.
- 〜というより · N2 — 〜というより means 'rather than say [X], it's more accurate to say...' — it corrects or refines a description someone might expect. Often used to swap a first impression for a more precise word.
Don't confuse it with
- 〜かのよう · N2 — 〜かのよう means 'as if' or 'as though' — describing something that looks, sounds, or behaves like something it isn't, often paired with まるで for emphasis. Attaches after the plain form of a verb or adjective; literary/formal in tone.
More N1 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜にあって — 〜にあって is a formal, literary expression meaning 'in / at / under (a certain situation),' used to frame a difficult, unusual, or noteworthy circumstance before describing how someone acts within it.
- 〜にひきかえ — 〜にひきかえ means 'in (marked) contrast to,' pairing two people or things whose situations are strikingly opposite — often with a hint of comparison or mild judgment favoring one side.
- 〜に至るまで — 〜に至るまで attaches to a noun and means 'all the way to / even down to,' stressing that a range is exhaustive: 細部に至るまで ('down to the smallest detail'). Often paired with から for A〜に至るまで.
- 〜に至っては — 〜に至っては means 'as for / when it comes to,' picking out one item — usually the most extreme, worst, or most striking example — from a group already being discussed: この街に至っては深刻だ ('as for this city, it's serious').
- 〜にまつわる — 〜にまつわる attaches to a noun and modifies a following noun, meaning 'related to / associated with,' almost always for stories, legends, episodes, or history tied to a person or place: 神社にまつわる伝説 ('a legend associated with the shrine').
- 〜に則って — 〜に則って means 'in accordance with' or 'based on' — a formal N1 pattern used when acting according to laws, rules, standards, or established precedent, not personal opinion.