宁可/宁愿…也… for Strong Preference in Chinese
宁可/宁愿……也……
宁可 or 宁愿 presents A as the deliberately preferred option, while the 也 clause emphasizes that B remains rejected or accepted despite the cost of A. The common negative frame is 宁可A，也不B. This is a strong evaluated preference, not a neutral choice question or a claim that only one option exists.
Published July 24, 2026
Reviewed July 24, 2026
01 / PATTERN
See the Structure
MODEL
Subject + 宁可/宁愿 + A，也 + 不/要 + B
Read the structure
宁可 or 宁愿 presents A as the deliberately preferred option, while the 也 clause emphasizes that B remains rejected or accepted despite the cost of A. The common negative frame is 宁可A，也不B. This is a strong evaluated preference, not a neutral choice question or a claim that only one option exists. Keep the model Subject + 宁可/宁愿 + A，也 + 不/要 + B visible while you compare each sentence.
我宁可坐火车，也不坐飞机。
I would rather take the train than fly.
Choose the right context
State a strong preference when both alternatives have meaningful consequences. Use 宁可 or 宁愿 before the selected option. Use 也不 before the rejected alternative in the common negative frame.
他宁愿等一天，也不愿意冒险。
He would rather wait a day than take the risk.
Respect the boundary
Do not use it for a neutral either-or question. Do not confuse personal preference with an externally forced only option. Do not insert 得 between 宁可 or 宁愿 and the selected action.
我宁可也坐火车，不坐飞机。
(I would rather take the train than fly.)
Repair the pattern
Putting 也 before the preferred option: 宁可 introduces the preferred option first. 也 belongs before the second, rejected alternative. Inserting 得 after 宁愿: 宁愿 directly takes the preferred verb phrase. 得 cannot link it to 等一天.
我宁可坐火车，也不坐飞机。
Use the repaired structure without changing the intended meaning.
02 / MAP
Read the Sentence
Read from left to right and notice the job performed by each part. The labels describe this example; they are not a rule that every Chinese sentence must copy.
我宁可坐火车，也不坐飞机。
I would rather take the train than fly.
我
Subject
This part occupies the Subject position in the model pattern.
宁可
宁可/宁愿
This part occupies the 宁可/宁愿 position in the model pattern.
坐
A，也
This part occupies the A，也 position in the model pattern.
火车
不/要
This part occupies the 不/要 position in the model pattern.
，
B
This part occupies the B position in the model pattern.
也不
Subject
This part occupies the Subject position in the model pattern.
坐
宁可/宁愿
This part occupies the 宁可/宁愿 position in the model pattern.
飞机
A，也
This part occupies the A，也 position in the model pattern.
03 / EXAMPLES
Examples You Can Reuse
Keep the structure stable while changing the people, objects, times, or conditions. Pinyin is shown as reading support; use the Chinese sentence and translation to confirm the grammar relationship.
我宁可坐火车，也不坐飞机。
I would rather take the train than fly.
他宁愿等一天，也不愿意冒险。
He would rather wait a day than take the risk.
我们宁可重新开始，也不能隐瞒问题。
We would rather start over than hide the problem.
04 / LIMITS
When to Use It — and When Not To
Use it when
- State a strong preference when both alternatives have meaningful consequences.
- Use 宁可 or 宁愿 before the selected option.
- Use 也不 before the rejected alternative in the common negative frame.
Do not use it when
- Do not use it for a neutral either-or question.
- Do not confuse personal preference with an externally forced only option.
- Do not insert 得 between 宁可 or 宁愿 and the selected action.
05 / REPAIR
Compare Right and Wrong
Compare the smallest meaningful change. Each explanation identifies a placement, scope, form, or clause relationship instead of treating the whole sentence as one undifferentiated mistake.
我宁可也坐火车，不坐飞机。
我宁可坐火车，也不坐飞机。
Putting 也 before the preferred option
宁可 introduces the preferred option first. 也 belongs before the second, rejected alternative.
他宁愿得等一天，也不冒险。
他宁愿等一天，也不冒险。
Inserting 得 after 宁愿
宁愿 directly takes the preferred verb phrase. 得 cannot link it to 等一天.
我宁可也坐火车，不坐飞机。
Put 也 with the second alternative: 宁可坐火车，也不坐飞机.
他宁愿得等一天，也不冒险。
Use 宁愿等一天 without 得.
06 / PRACTICE
Practice the Grammar Point
Complete three short tasks in order: judge the pattern, repair a common error, and build the sentence. Feedback is fixed and reviewed, so these activities do not use a checker allowance.
1. Judge the sentence
2. Choose the correction
3. Build the sentence
Build a complete sentence with 宁可/宁愿……也…….
07 / APPLY
Apply It in Your Sentence
Write one original sentence with 宁可/宁愿……也……. Your draft moves to the checker through this browser session, selects this grammar point as the first review focus, and waits for you to submit.
08 / QUESTIONS
宁可/宁愿…也… for Strong Preference Questions
How is 宁可…也不… different from 与其…不如…?
Both compare alternatives. 宁可…也不… foregrounds the speaker's firm commitment to one option, while 与其…不如… presents an explicit comparison and recommendation.
Why is this page labeled HSK 7 when GF0025 combines Levels 7–9?
GF0025 lists the construction in its combined advanced band rather than assigning a single level. This site places it at HSK 7 as an internal learning sequence, not as a separate official sublevel claim.
09 / SOURCES
Sources and Review Notes
These references support different parts of the lesson. GF0025-2021 supports level placement only; professional grammar works support the explanation, limits, examples, and cross-checks. Their inclusion does not imply endorsement.
Chinese Proficiency Grading Standards for International Chinese Language Education (GF0025-2021)
Ministry of Education and State Language Commission · Ministry of Education of the PRC · 2021
Locator: Appendix A, A.7.6.2.9 选择复句, 【七—九103】宁可/宁愿……，也……, PDF p. 254
Places the exact construction in the official combined Levels 7–9 grammar inventory; the site's HSK 7 assignment is an internal sequence within that band.
Official sourceModern Mandarin Chinese Grammar: A Practical Guide, 3rd ed.
Ross, Ma, Chen, He and Yeh · Routledge · 2024
Locator: Chapter 53, §53.3 ‘Expressing strong preference with 宁可’, printed p. 361
Supports 宁可 before the preferred option and the common 宁可A也不B frame for rejecting the alternative.
Official source10 / CONTINUE
Continue with a Connected Rule
Easy to confuse
与其…宁可/宁愿与其...宁可/宁愿: Prefer Option B
Compare the independent 宁可…也… frame with 宁可 embedded after an explicit 与其 alternative.
Compare
与其…不如…与其...不如...: Choose B
Distinguish firm personal preference from evaluating one alternative as the more practical choice.
Learn first
还是/或者还是 vs 或者: Two Ways to Say Or
Master neutral alternatives before adding the speaker's strong rejection of one option.
Compare
要么…要么Either...Or with 要么...要么...
Compare a committed preference with a balanced either-or presentation that does not select a side.
RECOMMENDED NEXT
Easy to confuse
Compare the independent 宁可…也… frame with 宁可 embedded after an explicit 与其 alternative.