N2 — outside your level filter

くらいなら

くらいならkurai naraN2neutral

savor + rather than ... — the speaker settles for anything over the option named

ajiwau kurai nara

rather than ... — the speaker settles for anything over the option named

meaning: rather than savor

Same meaning

  • 味あじわう
  • 〜くらいなら
  • 味あじわうくらいなら

電車でんしゃで一時間いちじかんも味あじわうくらいなら歩あるいて帰かえります。

densha de ichijikan mo ajiwau kurai nara aruite kaerimasu.

I'll walk home rather than savor a whole hour for the train. neutral

謝あやまるくらいなら死しんだほうがましだ。

ayamaru kurai nara shinda hou ga mashi da.

I'd rather die than apologize. casual

Same meaning13

more than; the most

All examples5

rather than V — refuses one action, settling for whatever else is offered

  1. 電車でんしゃで一時間いちじかんも待まつくらいなら歩あるいて帰かえります。

    densha de ichijikan mo matsu kurai nara aruite kaerimasu.

    I'll walk home rather than wait a whole hour for the train. neutral

  2. 謝あやまるくらいなら死しんだほうがましだ。

    ayamaru kurai nara shinda hou ga mashi da.

    I'd rather die than apologize. casual

  3. この条件じょうけんで契約けいやくするくらいなら、取引とりひきを中止ちゅうししたほうがよろしいかと存ぞんじます。

    kono jouken de keiyaku suru kurai nara, torihiki o chuushi shita hou ga yoroshii ka to zonjimasu.

    I believe it would be better to cancel the deal than sign a contract under these terms. formal

  4. 一時間いちじかんも行列ぎょうれつに並ならぶぐらいなら、コンビニのおにぎりでいいや。

    ichijikan mo gyouretsu ni narabu gurai nara, konbini no onigiri de ii ya.

    Queue for a whole hour? Nah, a rice ball from the convenience store will do. casual

  5. 途中とちゅうでやめるくらいなら、最初さいしょから引ひき受うけないほうがいいと思おもいます。

    tochuu de yameru kurai nara, saisho kara hikiukenai hou ga ii to omoimasu.

    If you're going to drop it halfway, I think it's better not to take it on at all. neutral

How it's formed1

All forms1

  • ぐらいならgurainaracolloquial

    味あじわうぐらいなら

    same swap as くらい/ぐらい elsewhere: ぐらい leans spoken, くらい is safer for writing.

Notes

The alternative is always stated and needn't end in ほうがいい/まし.
〜でいい, 〜たい or 〜てもかまわない can close it instead, settling rather
than praising.