ほうが　without より、いい


I know how to use ほうが to express suggestions (you should, etc) as we as
comparisions with より、いい, as well as paired with i-stem verbs to express "way
of doing," but I've come across it in certain contexts I don't understand. For
instance, to study, I like to translate song lyrics, and I'm stuck on these
ones from テイク5 by Utada Hikaru:

会わないほうが ケンカすることも

幻滅し合うこともない

I have no clue how to parse or understand the first line. I am fairly certain
the second says "and no disillusioning each other," but I don't understand the
function of ほうが in the first. No meeting without fighting? But it is a double
negative because of the final ない in line 2? No meeting and fighting? Any
advice on how to read this appreciated :)




方 (ほう) in this context means something like "way".

You probably learned it in fixed expressions like したほうがいい or するほうがましだ where
they translate it by "it is better to do..." or "you should do...". But while
translating it in such a natural English makes it easy to understand the
Japanese expression in the situation you learn it from, it does not help
figuring out how to properly use it and even how to correctly understand it in
patterns that differ from what you have seen.

The correct way to interpret 方が would be to just translate it literally. I
personally see it as "the way of... is..." which isn't what you would say in
English but it doesn't really matter.

> 会いに行った方がいい > The way of having gone to meet is good > you should go to meet
> (her)
>
> 秘密にする方が大変そうだな > The way of making it a secret seems hard > It looks harder
> to keep it as a secret (than to say it)
>
> 行かない方がいい > The way of not going is good > You should not go

You get the point. Now as for your sentence:

> 会わないほうが ケンカすることも 幻滅し合うこともない > The way of not meeting is (会わない方が) without
> (ない) doing fights (喧嘩すること) or being disappointed (幻滅し合うこと) > Not meeting
> avoids fights and disillusionment

I hope it makes sense

