<p>Refer to the definition 3 in <a href="http://www.zdic.net/z/15/js/4E5F.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this dictionary:</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <ol start="3">
  <li>在复句中表转折意：虽然你不说，我～能猜个八九不离十。</li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>

<p>也 is used as the adverbial of concession, like the English word <strong>although</strong>. 也 follows the result or conclusion. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-12T03:57:23.300Z
actually, I think it is just 'and'
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-11T00:50:37.943Z
2017-12-11T00:50:37.943Z
dan
<p>If it makes it easier to remember, you can relate this usage to the more common gloss of 'also': "[in situations where] people are freezing to death, they'd also prefer not to wear [them].</p>

<p>Or in more natural English: "... won't wear them even if they're freezing to death."</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-11T01:30:20.847Z
2017-12-11T01:30:20.847Z
user18666
<p>It could be better understood as "still" here in our context.</p>

<p>Even if I get frozen, I "still" would not wear it.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-11T02:49:59.393Z
2017-12-11T02:49:59.393Z
Jay Zha
<p>Edit: in the cold light of morning:</p>

<p>I agree with Jian: 宁愿 A 也不愿B： would rather A than B</p>

<p>Literally: 宁愿A也不愿B would want A and not  want B</p>

<p>很多人<br>
A lot of people<br>
因为害怕穿秋裤显胖，<br>
because they are afraid of appearing fat if they wear long-johns,<br>
宁愿冻死也不穿。<br>
would rather freeze to death than wear them.</p>

<p>(I prefer fat-looking but warm!)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-11T11:45:29.760Z
It is 宁愿...也不... not 宁愿...也...
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-12T00:06:03.570Z
Correct, I slipped up there, must be the cold!
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-12T00:17:31.377Z
其实, 是不是这样的: "宁愿A也不愿B" 愿 = 希望？？
Pedroski
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-12T01:53:19.313Z
愿 means 愿意, or 想要,  to wish, to want, willing (to do sth), like the lyrics in the song 童话 **fairy tale**: **我愿变成**童话里你要的那个天使 means **I wish to be** the angel you need in fairy tale.
xenophōn
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-11T09:29:38.967Z
2017-12-12T00:48:21.363Z
2017-12-12T00:48:21.363Z
Pedroski
<p>In this sentence <code>也</code> should not be understood individually.In Chinese <code>宁愿...也...</code> is a coordinating conjunction. It means a choose relationship. You choose the option behind <code>宁愿</code> and you give up the option behind <code>也</code>.<br><br>
I think it seems like <code>rather...than...</code> in English.<code>宁愿冻死也不穿</code> may be translated to <code>rather be dead than be wearing the long underwear</code>.<br><br>
More examples about <code>宁愿...也...</code>could be see in <a href="http://fanyi.baidu.com/#zh/en/%E5%AE%81%E6%84%BF%20%E4%B9%9F" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a>;<br>
And More examples about coordinating conjunction in Chinese could be see in <a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%B9%B6%E5%88%97%E8%BF%9E%E8%AF%8D/6573724?fr=aladdin" rel="nofollow noreferrer">here</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-11T11:16:29.250Z
Perfect! Thanks for the answer. It seems that often the phrase after 也 comes with 不 on 不愿.
Blaszard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-12T09:55:36.243Z
@Blaszard Thanks for being accepted and I'm glad to know that you seek out the regularity.
Jian
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-11T01:49:38.033Z
2017-12-11T03:41:48.287Z
2017-12-11T03:41:48.287Z
Jian
<p>In the following sentence:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>很多人因为害怕穿秋裤显胖，宁愿冻死<strong>也</strong>不穿。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>What does 也 mean in the sentence? The entire sentence should mean something like the following:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Because of the fear that wearing one more pants behind the trousers make you look fat, so many people rather want to...</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I don't understand the last part of the sentence, especially on the 也 part.</p>
<p>According no Pleco, 也 has the following entry (as an adverb):</p>
<blockquote>
<p>[for emphasis, often before a negative expression]</p>
<ul>
<li>她一天假也没请过。</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
<p>But then how does it connect 冻死 and 不穿 and what does the sentence mean?</p>
<p>Also, is my understanding that 也 here works as an emphasis correct?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-11T00:55:40.297Z
I think it's a bit like "still"
Jason Swift
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-14T09:30:19.487Z
宁愿A也不B structure means **prefer A to B** or **would rather A than B**
xenophōn
<meaning-in-context><adverbs>
How does 也 work in 宁愿冻死也不穿?
# How does 也 work in 宁愿冻死也不穿?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-10)

In the following sentence:

> 很多人因为害怕穿秋裤显胖，宁愿冻死**也**不穿。

What does 也 mean in the sentence? The entire sentence should mean something like the following:

> Because of the fear that wearing one more pants behind the trousers make you look fat, so many people rather want to...

I don't understand the last part of the sentence, especially on the 也 part.

According no Pleco, 也 has the following entry (as an adverb):

> [for emphasis, often before a negative expression]
>
> * 她一天假也没请过。

But then how does it connect 冻死 and 不穿 and what does the sentence mean?

Also, is my understanding that 也 here works as an emphasis correct?

**Tags:** meaning-in-context, adverbs

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I think it's a bit like "still"  
> **username_2**: 宁愿A也不B structure means **prefer A to B** or **would rather A than B**  

---

## 5 answers

### Answer by username_7 on 2017-12-11. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

In this sentence `也` should not be understood individually.In Chinese `宁愿...也...` is a coordinating conjunction. It means a choose relationship. You choose the option behind `宁愿` and you give up the option behind `也`.  
  
I think it seems like `rather...than...` in English.`宁愿冻死也不穿` may be translated to `rather be dead than be wearing the long underwear`.  
  
More examples about `宁愿...也...`could be see in [here](http://fanyi.baidu.com/#zh/en/%E5%AE%81%E6%84%BF%20%E4%B9%9F);  
And More examples about coordinating conjunction in Chinese could be see in [here](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%B9%B6%E5%88%97%E8%BF%9E%E8%AF%8D/6573724?fr=aladdin)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Perfect! Thanks for the answer. It seems that often the phrase after 也 comes with 不 on 不愿.  
> **username_7**: @username_0 Thanks for being accepted and I'm glad to know that you seek out the regularity.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-12-11. Score: 1

Refer to the definition 3 in [this dictionary:](http://www.zdic.net/z/15/js/4E5F.htm)

> 3. 在复句中表转折意：虽然你不说，我～能猜个八九不离十。

也 is used as the adverbial of concession, like the English word **although**. 也 follows the result or conclusion.

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: actually, I think it is just 'and'  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2017-12-11. Score: 1

If it makes it easier to remember, you can relate this usage to the more common gloss of 'also': "[in situations where] people are freezing to death, they'd also prefer not to wear [them].

Or in more natural English: "... won't wear them even if they're freezing to death."


---

### Answer by username_6 on 2017-12-11. Score: 0

It could be better understood as "still" here in our context.

Even if I get frozen, I "still" would not wear it.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2017-12-11. Score: 0

Edit: in the cold light of morning:

I agree with username_7: 宁愿 A 也不愿B： would rather A than B

Literally: 宁愿A也不愿B would want A and not want B

很多人  
A lot of people  
因为害怕穿秋裤显胖，  
because they are afraid of appearing fat if they wear long-johns,  
宁愿冻死也不穿。  
would rather freeze to death than wear them.

(I prefer fat-looking but warm!)

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: It is 宁愿...也不... not 宁愿...也...  
> **username_4**: Correct, I slipped up there, must be the cold!  
> **username_4**: 其实, 是不是这样的: "宁愿A也不愿B" 愿 = 希望？？  
> **username_2**: 愿 means 愿意, or 想要,  to wish, to want, willing (to do sth), like the lyrics in the song 童话 **fairy tale**: **我愿变成**童话里你要的那个天使 means **I wish to be** the angel you need in fairy tale.  

---

