На совещании лучше молчать, чем спорить.

На совещании uses the prepositional case because it means at/in the meeting.

• совещание = meeting, conference, work meeting
• After на when talking about location or context, Russian often uses the prepositional:
  • на совещании = at the meeting
  • на работе = at work
  • на уроке = in class

So here на совещании sets the situation: in a meeting / at a meeting.

Not quite. Совещание usually means a formal meeting, especially a work or official one where people discuss issues, make decisions, or report on something.

By contrast, встреча is more general and can mean:

• a meeting with someone
• an appointment
• even a personal get-together

So на совещании sounds more like at a business/official meeting, not just any meeting.

Here лучше means it is better.

It comes from хорошо / хороший and is the comparative form: better.

In this sentence, it works in an impersonal way:

• лучше молчать = it is better to stay silent
• лучше уйти = it is better to leave
• лучше подождать = it is better to wait

So it does not describe a noun here. It introduces advice or a judgment about what is preferable.

Because after лучше in this kind of sentence, Russian often uses the infinitive to express a general recommendation or preference.

Structure:

• лучше + infinitive
• лучше X, чем Y

Examples:

• Лучше подождать, чем спешить.
• Лучше спросить, чем ошибиться.

So молчать and спорить are both actions being compared:

• staying silent
• arguing

Russian often leaves out the subject in general statements when the meaning is people in general, one, or you in a general sense.

So this sentence is like:

• At a meeting, it’s better to stay silent than argue.
• At a meeting, you’re better off staying silent than arguing.
• One should stay silent rather than argue.

There is no explicit you or one because Russian does not need it here.

Чем is used in comparisons after a comparative idea such as лучше.

Pattern:

• лучше ..., чем ... = better to ..., than to ...

So:

• лучше молчать, чем спорить = better to stay silent than to argue

This is a very common structure:

• Лучше читать, чем смотреть телевизор.
• Лучше спросить, чем гадать.

In this sentence, the comma is standard because чем спорить introduces the second part of the comparison.

So:

• лучше молчать, чем спорить

In practice, when чем means than in a fuller comparison like this, a comma is normally written.

It can mean both, depending on context.

Молчать can mean:

• to be silent
• to say nothing
• to keep quiet

In this sentence, it suggests not speaking up, especially instead of getting into an argument. It can sound like practical advice: keep quiet rather than start arguing.

No. Спорить is closer to to argue, to dispute, or to contradict.

It often implies disagreement, and sometimes a fairly strong one. It is not as neutral as обсуждать (to discuss).

Compare:

• обсуждать = discuss
• спорить = argue, dispute

So this sentence does not mean better to stay silent than discuss things. It means better to stay silent than get into an argument.

Yes. Russian word order is flexible.

This sentence:

• На совещании лучше молчать, чем спорить.

could also be rearranged, for example:

• Лучше молчать на совещании, чем спорить.

Both are natural. The original version puts на совещании first, which makes the setting prominent right away: as for meetings / in meetings...

That is often done when the speaker wants to frame the whole statement around a particular situation.

It usually sounds like advice, judgment, or practical wisdom rather than a strict rule.

Лучше often gives the feeling of:

• it is wiser to...
• it is preferable to...
• you’re better off...

So the sentence can sound like:

• practical advice about office behavior
• a cynical comment about workplace culture
• a general observation

The exact tone depends on context and intonation.

Not exactly.

• лучше = better, preferable
• надо / нужно = need to, must, have to

So:

• На совещании лучше молчать, чем спорить.
  = It’s better to stay silent than argue.

• На совещании нужно молчать.
  = You need to stay silent at the meeting.

The second version is much stronger and sounds more like a rule or requirement. Лучше is softer and comparative.

Usually it sounds general, like a general truth or recommendation about meetings.

Because there is no demonstrative like на этом совещании (at this meeting) and no other specific context, the sentence is understood broadly:

• at meetings in general
• in that kind of situation

If you wanted one specific meeting, you might say:

• На этом совещании лучше молчать, чем спорить.
  = At this meeting, it’s better to stay silent than argue.

Yes, very often. This is a very productive pattern:

лучше + infinitive, чем + infinitive

Examples:

• Лучше подождать, чем ошибиться.
• Лучше уйти, чем ссориться.
• Лучше спросить, чем делать вид, что понимаешь.

So the sentence is a very useful model for making comparisons between actions.