N2 Choice, Necessity, and Urges

~くらいなら: meaning, usage and examples

~くらいなら means: rather than... / if it comes to...

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 失敗しっぱいするくらいなら、やらない方ほうがいい。

   Rather than fail, it's better not to do it.

2. 謝あやまるくらいなら、最初さいしょからそんなことを言いわなければいいのに。

   If you are going to apologize, you should not have said that in the first place.

3. あの会社かいしゃに戻もどるくらいなら、アルバイトを続つづけたほうがましだ。

   I would rather keep working part-time than go back to that company.

4. 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でください。

   If you are going to quit halfway, please do not take it on in the first place.

When to use it

Use くらいなら to reject one option strongly and say that another option, often an extreme one, is better. The first clause names something the speaker finds unbearable; the second gives the preferred choice, usually with ほうがいい, ほうがましだ or a request. Example: あの会社かいしゃに戻もどるくらいなら、辞やめたほうがましだ (I would rather quit than go back to that company).

Nuance

Conversational and emotional; it carries dislike or criticism of the first option. The second clause often contains ほうがいい, ほうがましだ, ～たい or a request such as ～てください. くらい and ぐらい mean the same here.

Compare

より(も)むしろ compares two options calmly (バスより、むしろ歩あるきたい). くらいなら adds a strong "I would hate that so much that..." feeling: 嘘うそをつくくらいなら、黙だまっているほうがいい. Plain ～なら only sets a condition with no feeling of rejection.

Tip: Think of くらいなら as "if it comes to that, I would rather...". The second clause almost always says what is better, so look for ほうがいい or ほうがまし.