🇬🇧🇨🇳 rather - 相当 : English Lesson

Meaning of "rather" ("相当"), detailed definition, and a short video lesson below.

"Rather" is an adverb we use when we want to show what we prefer or to say that something is true, but only a little bit or not completely. It can mean "I would like this more than that" (like choosing pizza rather than broccoli), or it can mean "kind of" or "a bit" (like saying "I am rather sleepy" instead of "I am very sleepy").

Watch and listen to this English flashcard to understand the word in more detail, with an easy example sentence.

I would rather eat broccoli-flavored ice cream than let my little brother cut my hair again.

Grandpa said he would rather text the toaster than learn another new phone app.

The teacher would rather hear a wrong answer than listen to us pretend we suddenly forgot how to talk.

I am rather sure my socks escape on purpose, because only the boring ones stay in the drawer.

Octopuses are rather clever—they have three hearts and can open jars, which means they might steal your snacks and love you at the same time.

Anna has two cats. She rather loves the small grey cat but she rather likes the big black cat too. She rather picks the grey cat to sit on her lap. The grey cat is rather warm and purrs. Anna smiles and says she is rather happy. Then she hugs it.

This word is at the A2 level, which means it’s useful for simple, everyday situations. You might use it when shopping, traveling, or talking about your hobbies. Words at this level help you build confidence in practical, routine conversations.

Expanding your English vocabulary is one of the best ways to improve your pronunciation, spelling, and confidence in English. Watch the video above to memorize the word, understand its meaning, and see example sentences in action. Discover related words to grow your vocabulary naturally. Add words to your playlist for stress-free, effective learning—anytime, anywhere! Watch, learn, repeat.