Chinese–EnglishWith examples

宁可

nìng kě · ning ke

Traditional 寧可

HSK 7–9Old HSK 5

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. preferably
  2. one would prefer to...(or not to...)
  3. would rather
  4. (would) be better to
  5. (to pick) the lesser of two evils
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In a conversation

0:17 cartoon

Walking to work

  1. Liangliang

    地铁(dìtiě)里(lǐ)人(rén)太(tài)多(duō)了(le)，我们(wǒmen)怎么(zěnme)去(qù)公司(gōngsī)？

    The subway is so crowded. How do we get to work?

  2. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)宁可(nìngkě)走路(zǒulù)，也(yě)不(bù)想(xiǎng)挤(jǐ)地铁(dìtiě)。

    I would rather walk than squeeze onto the subway.

  3. Liangliang

    走路(zǒulù)要(yào)四十(sìshí)分钟(fēnzhōng)！

    Walking takes forty minutes!

  4. Dengdeng

    四十(sìshí)分钟(fēnzhōng)就(jiù)四十(sìshí)分钟(fēnzhōng)，我(wǒ)宁可(nìngkě)慢(màn)一点(yīdiǎn)。

    Forty minutes it is. I would rather be a bit slow.

  5. Liangliang

    好(hǎo)，我(wǒ)宁可(nìngkě)迟到(chídào)，也(yě)要(yào)先(xiān)买(mǎi)杯(bēi)咖啡(kāfēi)。

    OK. I would rather be late, but I am buying a coffee first.

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

我(wǒ)宁(nìng)可(kě)走(zǒu)路(lù)，也(yě)不(bú)坐(zuò)那(nà)么(me)挤(jǐ)的(de)公(gōng)交(jiāo)车(chē)。

I would rather walk than take such a crowded bus.

02

他(tā)宁(nìng)可(kě)多(duō)花(huā)点(diǎn)钱(qián)，也(yě)要(yào)买(mǎi)质(zhì)量(liàng)好(hǎo)的(de)东(dōng)西(xi)。

He would rather spend a bit more money and buy things of good quality.

Sources & licenses

How to write

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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