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".

First of all, 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.

• 与其 依靠 家人，我 宁可 自食其力。
• 与其 失去 双腿，我 宁可 保守 治疗。

The next construction puts 宁可 at the beginning of the sentence:

宁可 + unfavorable option + 也不 most unfavorable option

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

Some examples:

• 他 宁可 遭受 酷刑，也不 给 敌人 任何 情报。
• 我 宁可 得 癌症，也不 戒烟。

In the last 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"

Some examples:

• 我 宁可 几 天 不 睡觉，也要 完成 这个 项目。
• 我 宁可 不 买 房，也要 环球 旅行。

Sources and further reading

Books

Boya Chinese Upper Intermediate 1（博雅汉语中级冲刺篇) pp.196