与其说…不如说【yǔqí shuō … bùrú shuō】

与其说…不如说 sets two descriptions side by side and picks the second as the better fit: "it's not so much A as B". The first half is partly true but misses the main point.

The two halves are parallel: adjective against adjective, 是 + noun against 是 + noun, clause against clause. The subject can come before 与其说 or inside each half.

倒不如说 adds "actually", sharpening the correction.

The pattern is common in essays and reviews, and in careful speech.

与其说 or 与其

Without 说, 与其…不如 chooses between actions: "rather than do A, better do B". With 说, it chooses between ways of describing something.

• × 与其他聪明，不如他努力 → 与其说他聪明，不如说他努力

Which half is which

The description you reject goes after 与其说; the one you endorse goes after 不如说.

• × 与其说他努力，不如说他聪明 (meaning effort is the real reason) → 与其说他聪明，不如说他努力