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宁可 (nìng kě) — would rather; to prefer (the lesser of two evils)

Definition

宁可 (nìngkě) means 'would rather' — used in pairs like 宁可…也… / 宁可…也不… to stress accepting one thing rather than another. Very close in meaning to 宁愿, which is slightly more common in writing; 情愿 is more about willingness at a cost.

adverb
would ratherto prefer (the lesser of two evils)

Examples

  • 宁可，。
    nìng kě Shǎo shuì yí huì r, yě yào bǎ gōng zuò zuò wán.
    I would rather sleep a little less and still finish my work.
  • 宁可，。
    Tā nìng kě zì jǐ chī kuī, yě bú ràng bié rén shòu wěi qu.
    She would rather suffer a loss herself than let others be wronged.
  • 宁可，。
    Wǒ nìng kě duō huā diǎn qián, yě yào mǎi zhì liàng hǎo de.
    I would rather spend more money and buy good quality.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

宁níngrather
可kěmay/acceptable

宁 expresses preference, and 可 adds the sense of being acceptable.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 寧; 宁 is its simplified writing.

  • 宀宀miánhouse
  • 皿皿mǐnfood or wine vessel
  • 丂丂kǎotable (?)
Open 宁 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丂
丂kǎo可kě
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

可 pairs 口 (mouth) with 丂 as a sound part; it is tied to air from the mouth, perhaps singing.

Open 可 →

Grammar

Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 5Will & Intention

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