Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
与其 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
与其yǔqírather than...HSK 6, c, 11 strokes, rank #25452, Hard
与其yǔqí與其HSK 6, c, 11 strokes, rank #25452, Hard
与其yǔqí與其|与其[yu3 qi2] A 不如[bu4 ru2] B (rather than A, better to B)HSK 6, unknown, 11 strokes, rank #25452, Hard
与其yǔqíA 不如[bù rú] B (rather than A, better to B)HSK 6, c, 11 strokes, rank #25452, Hard
yǔqí(yu3qi2)yu qi T3
  1. 1rather than...
  2. 2與其
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

与其(與其)yǔqí(yu3qi2)

与其 (yǔ qí) is a conjunction used to express a preference for one option over another, often translated as 'rather than' in English. It is commonly used in comparative constructions to indicate that one choice is superior to another, particularly in decision-making contexts.

Strokes11Frequency#25452DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, making comparisons is a common rhetorical device in conversations, reflecting the importance placed on making wise choices and decisions in everyday life.

Memory tip

Think of 与 (yǔ) as 'to give' and 其 (qí) as 'its'—imagine giving up something for something better. Visualize a person at a crossroads choosing a more rewarding path while saying, 'I'd rather take this road than that one.'

Meanings of 与其

yǔqí(yu3qi2)
1rather than...
2與其
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 与其 means.

About 与其

与其Simplified
與其Traditional
11Strokes
—Radical
连词连词conjunction (conj.)Part of Speech
#25452Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 与其

JasonAmy

Podcast: 与其

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 与其

Usage Notes

A common mistake is to confuse 与其 with just '与' (yǔ), which means 'and' or 'with'. It is used more often in formal contexts, so be cautious with its use in casual conversation. Typical collocations include '与其说...不如说...' to structure comparisons effectively.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 5 word, 与其 connects well with other comparative structures. Students should practice using it in sentences that compare different situations or choices to enhance fluency in expressing preferences.

Common Mistakes

Learners often forget to use the correct structure, saying '与其 A, B' instead of '与其 A, 不如 B'. Remember to always include 不如 for clarity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 与其

Premium — Locked

Tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 与其, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsPitch drawing+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 与其 to you

Let me explain 与其 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 与其 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

How well do you know 与其?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 与其 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Component characters

与yǔand
HSK 43 strokes一
View full entry
其qíhis
HSK 58 strokes八
View full entry

How to say rather than... in Chinese

“rather than...” in Chinese is与其yǔqí

与其 (yǔ qí) is a conjunction used to express a preference for one option over another, often translated as 'rather than' in English. It is commonly used in comparative constructions to indicate that one choice is superior to another, particularly in decision-making contexts.

When to use 与其

A common mistake is to confuse 与其 with just '与' (yǔ), which means 'and' or 'with'. It is used more often in formal contexts, so be cautious with its use in casual conversation. Typical collocations include '与其说...不如说...' to structure comparisons effectively.

What learners get wrong

Learners often forget to use the correct structure, saying '与其 A, B' instead of '与其 A, 不如 B'. Remember to always include 不如 for clarity.

Write 与其

与
其

Practice writing 与其 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar patterns of 与其

与其 functions as a conjunction — it connects clauses or phrases. Many Chinese conjunctions come in pairs (虽然…但是…, 因为…所以…); use them at the front of the clauses they link. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

____住在别人家里看人脸色,他宁可自己一个人租个小房间。

Rather than living in someone else's home and having to watch their moods, he would rather rent a small room on his own.

Example sentences for 与其 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
喝下午茶的时候,维多利亚与其夫君艾伯特亲王表演了二重唱。

hē xiàwǔ chá de shíhou, wéi duō lì yà yǔqí fū jūn ài bà tè qīn wáng biǎoyǎn le èr zhòng chàng。

At tea-time, Victoria sang duets with her Consort, Prince Albert.
2
成车的食物、毯子与其他必需品抵达了该市。

chéng chē de shíwù、 tǎnzi yǔqí tā bìxū pǐn dǐdá le gāi shì。

Truckloads of food, blankets, and other necessities reached the city.
3
警方逮捕了与其中一次袭击有关的5名青年男子。

jǐng fāng dàibǔ le yǔqí zhōng yī cì xíjī yǒuguān de5 míng qīngnián nánzǐ。

Police arrested five young men in connection with one of the attacks.
4
与其他小男孩相比,他挺好相处。

yǔqí tā xiǎo nán hái xiāngbǐ, tā tǐnghǎo xiāngchǔ。

He's good company, as small boys go.
5
苏人总是为领地权与其他部落作战。

sū rén zǒngshì wèi lǐng dì quán yǔqí tā bù là zuòzhàn。

The Sioux had always fought other tribes for territorial rights.
6
与其他器官相比,人的心脏是不是很脆弱?

yǔqí tā qìguān xiāngbǐ, rén de xīnzàng shìbùshì hěn cuìruò?

Is the human heart weak in comparison with the other organs?
7
她的病床用屏风与其他病人隔开。

tā de bìngchuáng yòng bīng fēng yǔqí tā bìngrén gékāi。

Her bed was screened off from the other patients.
8
基齐很善于引导别人与其谈心。

jī qí hěn shànyú yǐndǎo biérén yǔqí tán xīn。

Kitzi was an adept at getting people to talk confidentially to him.
9
他的办公室与其身份和阅历相称。

tā de bàngōngshì yǔqí shēnfèn hé yuèlì Xiāng chèn。

His office was in keeping with his station and experience.
10
为了结束与其臣民的冲突,国王作出了很大的让步。

wèile jiéshù yǔqí chén mín de chōngtū, guówáng zuòchū le hěn dà de ràngbù。

The King made major concessions to end the confrontation with his people.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 与其?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

Frequently asked questions about 与其

You can structure it like this: '与其 A,不如 B,' meaning 'Rather than A, it's better to B.'

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 与其?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab