Expressing "would rather" with "ningke"

宁可 is used where the speaker wants to compare two unfavorable options, and choose a "unfavorable option" over a "most unfavorable option".

Basic Form

Structure

First of all，宁可 can used alone in the following structure:

Subject + 宁可 + [preferable option]

Examples

• 我 不 想 吃 肯德基，我 宁可 不 吃饭。I don't want to eat KFC. I would rather just not eat.
• 这 个 地方 太 脏 了，我 宁可 没 地方 住。This place is extremely dirty. I would rather live somewhere else.

Common Form 1

Structure

This construction puts 宁可 at the beginning of the sentence followed by "也不"

宁可 + unfavorable option + 也不 most unfavorable option

Again, the speaker is choosing between two options, but this time places the preferable option first.

Examples

• 他 宁可 没有 朋友，也不 乱 交 朋友。He would rather not have friends than find bad ones.
• 我 宁可 得 癌症，也不 戒烟。I would rather have cancer than give up smoking.

It is the same as in the famous saying said by a female guest on the show 非诚勿扰: "我宁愿在宝马里哭,也不愿在自行车上笑."

Common Form 2

Structure

In this construction 宁可 is used a little differently:

宁可 + unfavorable action + 也要 + the thing the speaker wishes to gain.

Here the speaker must pay a price in order to complete or gain something, a bit like "even though X, I'm still willing to do Y"

Examples

• 我 宁可 几 天 不 睡觉，也要 完成 这个 项目。I would be willing not to sleep for a few days just to finish this project.
• 我 宁可 不 买 房，也要 环球 旅行。I would give up buying a house to travel around the world.
• 我 宁可 死 也 不 愿 放弃 ！I would rather die than give up!

Used with 与其

Structure

It can be used with 与其 to form the following construction:

与其 + most unfavorable option + 宁可 + unfavorable option

Here, the speaker is choosing the better of two unfavorable situations.

Examples

• 与其 去 求 别人，我 宁可 自食其力。Instead of depending on other people, I would rather fend for myself.
• 与其 失去 双腿，我 宁可 保守 治疗。I would rather find the cure than lose both of my legs.

Sources and further reading

Books

• Boya Chinese Upper Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语中级冲刺篇) (pp. 196) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 5 (新实用汉语课本5) (pp. 180) →buy

HSK5