Expressing "would rather" with "ningke"

宁可 is where the speaker wants to chose the better of two unfavorable situations, often to emphasize the speakers determination, or sometimes lack of care for what others think.

宁可 can be used in several constructions, and can be a little bit confusing.

与其 + very bad option + 宁可 + bad option

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

• 与其依靠家人，我宁可自食其力。
• 与其失去自由，我宁可自杀。

宁可 + bad option + 也不 very bad option

Again, the speaker is choosing between two options, but they are the reverse of above.

Some examples:

• 我宁可遭受酷刑，也不要给敌人任何情报。
• 我宁可得癌症，也不要戒烟。

宁可 + ‘cost’ + 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"

• 我宁可几天不睡觉，也要完成这个项目。
• 我宁可把所有的存款都给花光，也要环球旅行。