write + rather than ...
kaku kurai nara
rather than ... (a despised alternative)
meaning: rather than write
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