寧可

宁可
nìngkě
  1. preferably
  2. one would prefer to...(or not to...)
  3. would rather
  4. (would) be better to
  5. (to pick) the lesser of two evils

CEDICT

Entry Composition

1 寧 nìng
  1. would rather
  2. to prefer
  3. how (emphatic)
  4. Taiwan pr. níng
2 可 kě
  1. (prefix) can; may; able to; -able
  2. to approve; to permit
  3. to suit
  4. (particle used for emphasis) certainly; very
  5. but; however