Mako's question of August 8, 1999:

How do you say in English? You don't like cucumbers, and you don't like onions, either. Comparing cucumbers with onions, onions are a little bit better, acceptable. It sounds strange for me to say that I like onions better than cucumbers. We use the word "mashi" in Japanese. How do you describe this situation?

There are a lot of ways this could be expressed in English. I can't think of one word or phrase to describe this situation, so I'll show several different sentences.

I like cucumbers less than I like onions.

(A basic way to express this idea, but it could be misunderstood.)

I like cucumbers even less than I like onions.

(This clearly indicates that you're not a big fan of either one.)

　

I like don't like onions, and I like cucumbers even less.

(Clear, but may not express the idea that onions are tolerable.)

　

I don't like either onions or cucumbers, but If I had to eat one it would be the onion.

(Long, but very clear--indicates that you don't like either one but that you could eat an onion.)

　

If I had to choose one, I would choose the onion.

(Similar to he one directly above. The phrase "If I had to choose one" indicates that the speaker doesn't really like either both choice.)