Chinese–EnglishWith examples

宁愿

nìng yuàn · ning yuan

Traditional 寧願

HSK 7–9Old HSK 6

Meaning

CC-CEDICT
  1. would rather ... (than ...)
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In a conversation

0:27 cartoon

Six in the morning

  1. Dengdeng

    亮亮(liàngliàng)，明天(míngtiān)早上(zǎoshang)六点(liùdiǎn)去(qù)爬山(páshān)，你(nǐ)去(qù)吗(ma)？

    Liangliang, we go hiking at six tomorrow morning. Are you coming?

  2. Liangliang

    六点(liùdiǎn)？我(wǒ)宁愿(nìngyuàn)在(zài)家(jiā)睡觉(shuìjiào)。

    Six? I'd rather sleep at home.

  3. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)宁愿(nìngyuàn)起(qǐ)得(de)早(zǎo)，也(yě)不(bù)想(xiǎng)人(rén)多(duō)。

    I'd rather get up early than have crowds.

  4. Liangliang

    我(wǒ)宁愿(nìngyuàn)人(rén)多(duō)，也(yě)不(bù)想(xiǎng)起(qǐ)得(de)早(zǎo)。

    I'd rather have crowds than get up early.

  5. Dengdeng

    好(hǎo)，那(nà)九点(jiǔdiǎn)去(qù)，人(rén)多(duō)一点(yīdiǎn)也(yě)没关系(méiguānxi)。

    OK, then we go at nine. A few more people is fine.

  6. Liangliang

    九点(jiǔdiǎn)？我(wǒ)宁愿(nìngyuàn)睡(shuì)到(dào)十二点(shíèrdiǎn)！

    Nine? I'd rather sleep until twelve!

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In a sentence

2 examples
01

与(yǔ)其(qí)让(ràng)我(wǒ)在(zài)他(tā)手(shǒu)下(xià)干(gàn)，我(wǒ)宁(nìng)愿(yuàn)辞(cí)职(zhí)。

I would rather quit than work under him.

Tatoeba: Chinese by fucongcong · English by CK · CC BY 2.0 FR. Pinyin added or corrected.

02

我(wǒ)宁(nìng)愿(yuàn)是(shì)一(yì)只(zhī)鸟(niǎo)胜(shèng)过(guò)一(yì)条(tiáo)鱼(yú)。

I'd rather be a bird than a fish.

Tatoeba: Chinese by Martha · English by fcbond · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

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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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