rather than 是一个并列连词，用法比较复杂，现归纳如下：
1. rather than 与would 连用时，构成“would rather...than...”句式，意思是“宁愿……而不愿……”，表示主观愿望，即在两者之中选择其一;当初要是……，会比……更好；与其……倒不如；例如：
She'd rather die than lose the children. 她宁愿死也不愿失去孩子们。
It would have been better to have thinned the trees over several winters rather than all at one time
当初要是分几个冬天疏剪树木，会比一下子疏剪完效果好。
I would rather walk with God in the dark than go alone in the light.
与其在光明中独行倒不如在黑暗里与神共舞。
2. rather than 不与would连用时，表示客观事实，意为“是……而不是……；与其……不如……”。它连接的并列成分可以是名词、代词、形容词、介词(短语)、动名词、分句、不定式、动词等。现分述如下：
(1) 连接两个名词或代词
They aim at quality rather than quantity.
他们的目的在于提高质量而不是增加数量
He is an explorer rather than a sailor. 与其说他是一个海员，不如说他是一个探险者。
Much of her work is speculative, based on psychoanalytic theoryrather than empirical data.
她的著作中有相当一部分内容是推测性的，建立在精神分析理论之上而缺乏来自实际经验的数据。
Boxing is a test of skill and technique, rather than brute strength.
拳击考验的是技能和技术，不是蛮力。
I still think it's a bit of a cheek sending a voucher rather than a refund
我还是认为，他们寄来优惠购物券，而不是退款，真是有些厚颜无耻。
When I'm going out in the evening I use the bike if I can rather than the car.
我晚上要外出的时候，我宁愿骑自行车而不是开车。
The report's focus is on how technology affects human life ratherthan business
这个报告关注的是技术如何影响人类生活而非商业活动。
You rather than I are going to go camping. 是你而不是我要去要野营。
John，rather than his roommates，is to blame.
要受责备的是约翰，而不是他的室友们。
注意：rather than 连接两个名词或代词作主语时，谓语动词应与rather than 前面的名词或代词在人称和数上保持一致。
(2) 连接两个形容词、副词
Much of the food pleases rather than excites
这些食物中许多只是让人满意，但并不让人兴奋。
