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宁可 … ，也 … (would rather)
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The lesser evil
- Your friend suggests taking the crowded night bus. You'd rather walk an hour.
- I我would rather宁可to walk走路to return home回家，(still)也not不to sit坐like that那么to crowd in挤(modifier / structural particle)的war chariot (archaic)车。 — "I'd rather walk home than take such a crowded bus."
would rather宁可 A，(still)也not不 B = would rather A than B
- would rather宁可 A，(still)也not不 B = choose A (unpleasant) rather than B (even worse).
- Also would rather宁可 A，(still)也must要 B = would even do A in order to achieve B: would rather宁可less少sleep睡a bit一点儿，(still)也must要(把: marks the object)把work工作to make做to finish完.
I我would rather宁可less少sleep睡a bit一点儿，(still)也must要把work工作finish做完。
Complete: “I'd rather stay at home than go out in this rain.” 我宁可待在家里，____不在这么大的雨里出去。
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宁可 A，也不 B.
Firm choices
- he他would rather宁可hungry饿(stay)着，(still)也not不eat吃junk垃圾food食品。 — "He'd rather go hungry than eat junk food."
- would rather ... (than ...)宁愿 is a close synonym: I我would rather ... (than ...)宁愿一个person人go去.
he他would rather宁可hungry饿(stay)着，(still)也not不eat吃junk垃圾food食品。
Build: “He'd rather go hungry than eat junk food.”
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宁可 A，也不 B.
Read it nìng
- variant of 宁宁 here is nìng (fourth tone), as in would rather宁可 / would rather ... (than ...)宁愿.
- would rather宁可 goes after the subject: I我would rather宁可…, and the second clause needs (still)也: (still)也not不 / (still)也must要.
How is 宁 read in 宁可?
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In 宁可 (“would rather”) 宁 is read nìng, fourth tone: nìngkě. The second-tone níng is used in 安宁 and the name 南宁.
would rather宁可…(still)也not不 versus rather than与其…better to不如
- would rather宁可 A (still)也not不 B: A is chosen firmly, often with sacrifice.
- rather than与其 A better to不如 B: B is the better option: rather than与其to be at home在家wait等，better to不如to go out出去look找 — "Rather than wait at home, better go and look."
rather than与其wait等，better to不如go去look找。
与其 A 不如 B recommends B.
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True. 与其 A 不如 B means “rather than A, better B”: 与其等车，不如走路. The speaker recommends B.
Recap
- would rather宁可 A，(still)也not不 B = would rather A than B; would rather宁可 A，(still)也must要 B = would even A in order to B.
- variant of 宁宁 = nìng; would rather ... (than ...)宁愿 is a synonym; rather than与其…better to不如… recommends B.
Read the full reference: HSK 5 grammar — Sentence patterns.
Your friend suggests taking the crowded night bus. You'd rather walk an hour. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.