preferably · one would prefer to...(or not to...) · would rather · (would) be better to · (to pick) the lesser of two evils

nìng kě

n+ìng·4th tonek+ě·3rd tone

Examples2 available

I'd rather die than see you cry.

我宁可死，也不想看见你哭。

I would rather kill myself than reconcile myself to my fate.

与其向命运妥协，我宁可自杀。