与其…不如…
Rather than A, (it's better to) B
HSK 5HSK 3.0 · 6
与其 + A，(还)不如 + B
与其…不如… compares two options and favors the second: 与其在家无聊，不如出去走走 'rather than sit bored at home, why not go for a walk'. A is usually what one is doing or plans to do; B is the better alternative. 不如 opens the second clause, optionally with 还. 与其说A，不如说B reframes a description: 与其说他是老板，不如说他是朋友. Compare 宁可…也不…, which chooses something unpleasant to avoid something worse and stresses determination.
HSK 5 gap fills and reading (author's view).
Examples
与其在家无聊，不如出去走走。
Rather than being bored at home, let's go out for a walk.
与其花钱买新的，不如把旧的修一修。
Instead of buying a new one, we might as well fix the old one.
与其等别人帮忙，还不如自己动手。
Rather than waiting for help, better to do it yourself.
与其说他是我的老板，不如说他是我的朋友。
He's less my boss than my friend.
Exercises
1.与其在这儿等车， 走路回去。
2. 抱怨，不如想办法解决问题。
3.“与其坐车，不如走路”的意思是：
4.与其说这是一次失败， 说这是一次学习的机会。