与其说…不如说…
it is less A than B; rather than calling it A, it is truer to call it B
Structure
与其说 A ， 不如说 B
What it means
Corrects a description: A and B are both possible labels for the same thing, but B is the truer one (“it is less A than B”).
How it is built
与其说 + A，不如说 + B: 与其说他是我的老师，不如说是我的朋友 (he is less my teacher than my friend).
When to use it
Thoughtful and a little written: essays and commentary. In speech, 其实更像是…. Unlike 与其…不如… (lesson 2-1), which weighs two actions: 与其在家等，不如自己去问.
Watch out
✗ 与其是A，不如是B ✓ 与其说A，不如说B: keep 说 in both halves. The label you reject goes after 与其说, the one you accept after 不如说.
Examples
与其说这是宗教，不如说是一种过日子的习惯。
It is less a religion than a habit of everyday life.
与其说他是我的老师，不如说是我的朋友。
He is less my teacher than my friend.
这次失败与其说是运气不好，不如说是准备不够。
This failure was down less to bad luck than to poor preparation.
Learn this in Lesson 45 · HSK 5–6: 灶王爷与财神 (The household gods)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. The first lessons of every level are free.
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