宁可

[chaiknees]

Dear all

I have some problems with understanding the 宁可 construction. Maybe you can help me.

If it is isolated, it means "rather" or "prefer"。

For example: 我宁可坐火车 = I prefer to take the train (compared to sth. else given in the context).

If there is a compound sentence and the second part is negated and has a 也不 or 而不, it means "rather than..., ...would...".

For example: 我宁可饿死，也不吃你的饭。 = I'd rather die of starvation than eating the food you made.

Now the part which confuses me:

1) How about if the second sentence is not negated?

Two examples: 宁可少睡一点儿觉,也要多读一些书. 他宁可做得慢一些,也要做得好一些.

What is the translation of these sentences?

2) How to turn the compound sentence around? On nciku I found that in the constructions 与其...宁可 or 与其...不如... the second part has the "preferred" option. So does 与其吃你的饭,我宁可饿死. have the same meaning as 我宁可饿死，也不吃你的饭。?

Thank you in advance!

[creamyhorror]

It's really a matter of defining it properly to yourself, I think:

宁可 X = I'd rather have/do X / even at the cost of X [i'll do/avoid Y]

我宁可饿死，也不吃你的饭。 = I'd rather starve, and won't eat your food. = I'd rather starve than eat your food.

宁可少睡一点儿觉,也要多读一些书 = Even if I have to sleep a bit less, I must read a bit more.

与其吃你的饭,我宁可饿死 = Instead of eating your food, I'd rather starve.

So yes, it has pretty much the same meaning as 我宁可饿死，也不吃你的饭。

I recommend memorising the 'interpreted meaning' of the combinations:

(1) 宁可...也... = Even if I have to ..., I [will/won't] ...

(2) 与其...宁可... = Instead of ..., I'd rather ...

(3) 与其...不如... = Instead of ..., why not/it's better to ... (not the same as 与其...宁可)

[Gurulu]

I think that '与其...宁可..' is not widely used. 宁可 is a strong word. (mostly used when you talk to your enemies ) It's usually used to express a strong preference to do something. 与其 and 不如 are much weaker. They are used when a person has two choices, both of which are not too bad.

PS. Another word you may want to use instead of '宁可' is '宁愿'. So I would say:

我宁愿坐火车

[skylee]

宁可 is a strong word.

I agree. I think the word 寧 is strong, and sometimes it reminds me of 不自由，毋寧死.

Another word that can replace 寧可 is 情願.

[chaiknees]

Thank you very much!