would rather; to prefer; would sooner

(bound form) peaceful; tranquil; stable; to pacify

(literary) for a married woman to visit her parents

(literary) used in rhetorical questions to mean "how" or "could it be that..."

a Chinese surname; also used in given names

(bound form) peaceful; calm; tranquil; often used as a literary verb meaning to bring peace or tranquility

(variant of 宁 níng) for a married woman to return to her family home to visit her parents

(bound form) abbreviation for Nanjing, derived from its former name Jiangning

(bound form) would rather; would sooner; indicates preference for one thing over another, often in the context of a sacrifice or difficult choice

(literary) used in rhetorical questions to mean "how can it be that...?" or "could it be that...?"