| Russian | English |
| скорее ... а не | more of a ... than (больше хлопот, чем пользы; скорее хобби, а не работа suburbian) |
| скорее как ... а не | more of a ... than a (Back in St. Petersburg, 800 kilometers from the Arctic Circle, the influx of Chinese is being seen by some as more of a bother than a boom.) |
| скорее не личные заслуги, а покровительство помогло ему достичь такого положения | he gained his position more by favour than by merit |