宁可…也不…
would rather A than B
Structure
宁可／宁愿 A（代价） ， 也不 B
What it means
“Would rather A than B”: A is the cost you accept; B is what you refuse.
How it is built
宁可／宁愿 + A (cost)，也不 + B: 我宁可走路去，也不坐他的车 (I would rather walk than ride in his car).
When to use it
Use it for a firm choice. With 也要 it flips: 宁可 A 也要 B, accept cost A in order to get B: 宁可少睡觉，也要把工作做完.
Watch out
Keep 也 in the second half: ✗ 我宁可走路，不坐他的车。 ✓ 我宁可走路，也不坐他的车。 A is the price you pay, not the thing you refuse.
Examples
许多员工宁可牺牲休息时间，也不愿失去工作。
Many employees would rather give up their rest than lose their job.
我宁可走路去，也不坐他的车。
I would rather walk than ride in his car.
Learn this in Lesson 29 · HSK 5–6: 996、内卷与躺平 (Overwork, involution and lying flat)
A dialogue, a reading, word cards with audio and a drill that uses it, in Learn Chinese with Bao. This lesson is free.
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