宁可

tā nìng kě qióng yī bèi zi yě bù lí kāi tā men de xiǎo cūn zi

他宁可穷一辈子，也不离开他们的小村子。

He'd rather stay poor all his life than to leave his village.

tā nìng kě zì jǐ chī kuī yě bù kuī le bié rén

他宁可自己吃亏，也不亏了别人。

He would rather stand to lose than make other people lose.

nìng kě zǎo sān xiǎo shí bù kě wǎn lái yī fēn zhōng

宁可早三小时，不可晚来一分钟。

Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.

nìng kě xiǎo xīn yī diǎn hǎo

宁可小心一点好。

Better safe than sorry.

nìng kě zǒu zhe qù yě bù zài zhè děng chē

宁可走着去，也不在这等车

would rather walk there than wait for the bus here

nìng kě xī shēng gè rén lì yì yě bù sǔn hài jí tǐ

宁可牺牲个人利益，也不损害集体

rather sacrifice individual interests than harm the collective

bǐ qǐ qiú bié rén nìng kě zì jǐ dòng shǒu

比起求别人，宁可自己动手

rather do it oneself than ask others

nìng kě ái è yě bù sàng shī qì jié

宁可挨饿也不丧失气节。

He would rather go hungry than lose his national integrity.

nìng kě dāng lán qiú bèi rén qiǎng yě bù néng xiàng zú qiú bèi rén tī

宁可当篮球被人抢，也不能像足球被人踢。

It is better to be a basketball hold in hand than to be a football kicked away.