与其说 (yú) — rather than saying... it's better to say... (used in the pattern 与其说A，不如说B)
Definition
Conjunction meaning 'rather than calling it A, it's more accurate to call it B.' Always pairs with 不如说 to form a fixed A/不如说B pattern that re-frames or corrects a description.
conjunction
rather than saying... it's better to say... (used in the pattern 与其说A，不如说B)
Examples
- 与其说，。yú Tā shì wǒ de lǎo shī, bù rú shuō tā shì wǒ de péng you.Rather than saying he is my teacher, it's better to say he is my friend.
- 与其说，。yú Zhè shì yí cì shī bài, bù rú shuō shì yí cì bǎo guì de jīng yàn.Rather than saying this is a failure, it's better to say it's a valuable experience.
- 与其说，。yú Tā zài pī píng nǐ, bù rú shuō tā zài gǔ lì nǐ.Rather than saying he is criticizing you, it's better to say he is encouraging you.
Grammar
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