N2 — outside your level filter
くらいなら
くらいならkurai naraN2neutral
Same meaning13
more than; the most
- だけましだat least X — a bad situation beats the worse alternativeattaches at
- ほどto the point of ...; to such an extent that ...attaches at
- ほど〜ないnot as … asattaches at
- いちばんthe most; number oneattaches at
- 以上にmore than; even more than — passes the level it's measured againstattaches at
- くらいabout; to the extent thatattaches at
- に限るnothing beats X; the best thing to do is Xattaches at
- に越したことはないnothing is better than X; the more/better X, the betterattaches at
- に比べてcompared to N; in comparison with Nattaches at
- のほうがis more …; the … one of the twoattaches at
- というよりrather than saying ...; more like ...attaches at
- 割にconsidering ...; more/less than expected given ...attaches at
- よりthan; compared toattaches at
All examples5
rather than V — refuses one action, settling for whatever else is offered
電車で一時間も待つくらいなら歩いて帰ります。
densha de ichijikan mo matsu kurai nara aruite kaerimasu.
I'll walk home rather than wait a whole hour for the train. neutral
謝るくらいなら死んだほうがましだ。
ayamaru kurai nara shinda hou ga mashi da.
I'd rather die than apologize. casual
この条件で契約するくらいなら、取引を中止したほうがよろしいかと存じます。
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
一時間も行列に並ぶぐらいなら、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
途中でやめるくらいなら、最初から引き受けないほうがいいと思います。
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
〜でいい, 〜たい or 〜てもかまわない can close it instead, settling rather
than praising.