would be better to; might as well
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesconjunction
would be better to; might as well; it's not as good as
literaryUsed to suggest a superior alternative. It is a relatively formal or literary conjunction, often found in written advice, proverbs, or formal speech. The structure is typically "与其...，莫若..." (Rather than..., it's better to...).
Yǔ与
qí其
lín临
yuān渊
xiàn羡
yú鱼
，
mò莫
ruò若
tuì退
ér而
jié结
wǎng网
。
Rather than standing by the pond and longing for fish, it's better to go home and weave a net.
Cǐ此
shì事
tuō拖
yán延
xià下
qù去
wú无
yì益
，
mò莫
ruò若
xiàn现
zài在
jiù就
qù去
jiě解
jué决
。
Delaying this matter is useless; it would be better to resolve it right now.
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Yǔ与
qí其
bào抱
yuàn怨
，
mò莫
ruò若
jī积
jí极
xíng行
dòng动
。
Rather than complaining, you might as well take positive action.