Phrase
Fully loadedrather than
conjunction
而不是；而非
rather than
用于连接两个选项，表示选择前者而舍弃后者。
- 1.
And not.
而不是
- 2.
Used to indicate that the following alternative is less preferred.
用以表示后一选项较不优先
而不是；用以表示后一选项较不优先
In use
I prefer to walk to work rather than take the bus.
She chose to tell the truth rather than hide the mistake.
We should focus on solutions rather than problems.
rather than + noun/pronoun
rather than 连接两个并列的名词或代词，表示肯定前者、否定后者。
I'll have tea rather than coffee.
我要茶，而不是咖啡。
rather than + bare infinitive
rather than 后接动词原形时，常与前面的不定式或动词原形并列，表示选择前者而放弃后者。
He decided to walk rather than drive.
他决定走路，而不是开车。
rather than + -ing form
rather than 后接 -ing 形式时，通常与前面相同的 -ing 结构并列，强调对比。
Connections
Collocations
- sooner rather than later
- 尽早，别拖到以后
- Please send the report sooner rather than later.请尽早发送报告，不要拖到以后。
- rather than risk
- 而不是冒……的险
- Rather than risk the storm, we stayed at home.我们待在家里，而不是去冒暴风雨的危险。
- choose A rather than B
- 选择甲而不是乙
- We chose quality rather than quantity for the project.这个项目我们选择重质量而不重数量。
- prefer to do A rather than do B
- 宁做甲而不做乙
- She prefers to write in a notebook rather than use a laptop.她更喜欢在笔记本上写，而不是用笔记本电脑。
- rather than the other way around
- 而不是反过来
- Teachers should learn from students rather than the other way around.老师应该向学生学习，而不是反过来。
Learner notes
Memory Tip
联想：would rather 是‘宁愿’，than 表对比，所以 rather than=‘宁愿…而不是…’，记住 than 后是较不优先的选项。
Context & Register
语域：neutral 常见场景：日常交流、书面写作 rather than 通常属于中性表达，在日常口语和书面语中都较常见，用于正式写作时也很自然。语体选择更多取决于整个句子的正式程度，而非这个词本身。
Grammar Note
用于连接两个平行结构，表示取舍；后接动词时常用原形或动名词。
High-value vocabulary
该词属于 Oxford 核心词汇，值得优先掌握常见搭配和句型。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.