るくらいなら (ru kurai nara) meaning: rather than..., if it comes to doing X,…

When to use

くらいなら: rather than do X, I'd sooner (謝るくらいなら死ぬ).

Explanation

This grammar is used when the speaker would rather not do something or chooses another option rather than face the stated action. It’s often translated as 'rather than... I'd prefer...' or 'if it comes down to doing X, I'd rather...'.

Example sentences

一人ひとりで行いくくらいなら、家いえにいるほうがましです。

I'd rather stay at home than go alone.

Hitori de iku kurai nara, ie ni iru hou ga mashi desu.
負まけるくらいなら、試合しあいをしないほうがいい。

Rather than lose, it's better not to compete.

Makeru kurai nara, shiai o shinai hou ga ii.
遅刻ちこくするくらいなら、一日いちにち休やすんだほうがいい。

It's better to take a day off than to be late.

Chikoku suru kurai nara, ichinichi yasunda hou ga ii.
痛いたい目めに遭うくらいなら、そのリスクは避よけます。

I'd rather avoid that risk than suffer the consequences.

Itai me ni au kurai nara, sono risuku wa sakemasu.

Comparison (More Than / Which / The Most)

Compare when to use each

Corpus examples (60)

お金かねを彼かれにあげるくらいなら、捨すてた方ほうがましです。

I would rather throw the money away than give it to him.
このお金かねを彼かれにあげるくらいなら、捨すてたほうがいい。

I may as well throw the money away as give it to him.
彼かの言いいなりになるくらいなら、独りで暮くらした方ほうがましだ。

I would rather live by myself than do as he tells me to do.
自分じぶんの信念しんねんを隠かくすくらいなら死しんだほうがましだ。

I would rather die than conceal my belief.
自分じぶんの運命うんめいに甘あまんじるくらいなら自殺じさつした方ほうがましだ。

I might as well kill myself as reconcile myself to my fate.
運命うんめいに甘あまんじるくらいなら自殺じさつしたほうがいい。

I would rather kill myself than reconcile myself to my fate.
映画えいがに行いくくらいなら家いえにいた方ほうがましだ。

I would rather stay at home than go to the movies.
友ともを永遠えいえんに失うしなうくらいならばその友達ともだちのことを我慢がまんしなさい。

Have patience with a friend rather than lose him forever.
名なを穢すくらいなら、いっそ死しんだほうがましだ。

I would rather die than disgrace myself.
名なが穢れるくらいなら、彼かれはむしろ死しを選えらぶ。

He would rather die than disgrace himself.
「労働組合ろうどうくみあいに加くわわらないくらいなら、くびになるほうがいい」と不満ふまんをいだいている労働者ろうどうしゃはいった。

"I'd rather get the sack than not join the labour union," said the disgruntled worker.
今晩こんばん外出がいしゅつするくらいなら家いえで本ほんを読よんでいた方ほうがよい。

I would rather read a book at home than go out tonight.
家いえで休やすむくらいならむしろ外出そとだしたい。

I would rather go out than stay at home.
この暑あつい中なかを外出がいしゅつするくらいなら家いえにいた方ほうがよい。

I would rather stay at home than go out in this hot weather.
この会社かいしゃでそんな仕事しごとをするくらいなら会社かいしゃをやめる。

I would quit before I would do that job in this company.
彼女かのじょに金かねを貸かすくらいなら海うみに捨すてるほうがましだ。

You might as well throw your money into the sea as lend it to her.
彼かれに金かねを貸かしてやるくらいなら海うみに捨すてた方ほうがましだよ。

You might just as well throw your money into the sea as lend it to him.
彼かれは毎朝まいあさ早はやく起おきるくらいなら死しんだほうがましだ。

He would sooner die than get up early every morning.
私わたしは毎朝まいあさ早はやく起おきるくらいなら死しんだ方ほうがましだ。

I would sooner die than get up early every morning.
偽いつわりの姿すがたを愛あいされるくらいなら、嫌きらわれた方ほうがましだ。

Better to be hated for who you are than loved for who you're not.
宝たからくじを買かうくらいなら、その金かねを燃もやしてしまった方ほうがましだ。

You may as well burn your money as spend it on lottery tickets.
彼かれに金かねをやるくらいならむしろどぶに捨すてた方ほうがましだ。

You had as well throw your money into the ditch as give it to him.
ギャンブルに金かねを使つかうくらいなら、捨すてた方ほうがましだ。

You might as well throw your money away as spend it on gambling.
この種しゅの要求ようきゅうに屈くっするくらいなら死しんだ方ほうがましだ。

I'd rather die than yield to this sort of demand.
屈辱くつじょくを受うけて生いきるくらいなら死しんだ方ほうがましだ。

I would rather die than live in dishonor.

Showing 25 of 60 corpus examples.

Verbるくらいなら

Formation

When to use

Explanation

Example sentences

Comparison (More Than / Which / The Most)