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Level
[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)
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Similar to
- [Expressing "how about" with "yaobu"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22how_about%22_with_%22yaobu%22) (B1) - [Expressing the only two possibilities](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_the_only_two_possibilities) (B2) - [Providing two options with double "huozhe"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Providing_two_options_with_double_%22huozhe%22) (B2)
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Used for
[Giving alternatives](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Giving_alternatives)
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Keywords
[要么](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%A6%81%E4%B9%88), [要](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%A6%81)
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Translations
[either](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Either), [or](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Or)
[![Chinese-grammar-wiki-yao.jpg](Expressing%20%22either...%20or...%22%20with%20%22yaome%22%20-%20Chinese%20Grammar%20Wiki_fichiers/300px-Chinese-grammar-wiki-yao.jpg "fig:Chinese-grammar-wiki-yao.jpg"){width="300" height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki-yao.jpg)
When used by itself, 要么 is a not-so-pushy suggestion. But when used for a pair of choices, it gives a much more hardline "either/or" feel: *these are the two choices. Choose one.* (It can also be used for more than two choices, but it's usually just two.) In this case, 要不 acts exactly like 要么.
Contents --------  [hide]([# "wikilink")\] 
- [1 Structure](#Structure "wikilink") - [2 Examples](#Examples "wikilink") - [3 See also](#See_also "wikilink") - [4 Sources and further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink") - [4.1 Books](#Books "wikilink")
Structure --------------------------------------------------------- You can give a series of alternatives by using 要么 (yàome). The structure is pretty versatile, as you can put a wide variety of things after each 要么. It can be used both for commands and non-commands.
要么 + Option A ，要么 + Option B
Examples -------------------------------------------------------
- *要么* 你 去，*要么* 他 去 。*Yàome* nǐ qù, *yàome* tā qù.Either you go, or he goes. - *要么* 继续 ，*要么* 放弃 。*Yàome* jìxù, *yàome* fàngqì.Either keep going or give up. - *要么* 好好 做 ，*要么* 就 别 做 。*Yàome* hǎohǎo zuò, *yàome* jiù bié zuò.You either do it well or don't do it. - *要么* 现在 就 买 ，*要么* 现在 就 走 。*Yàome* xiànzài jiù mǎi, *yàome* xiànzài jiù zǒu.Either buy it now, or we get out of here now. - 你 *要么* 回 老家 ，*要么* 留在 上海 。Nǐ *yàome* huí lǎojiā, *yàome* liúzài Shànghǎi.You either go back to your hometown or stay in Shanghai. - *要么* 看书 ，*要么* 写 作业 ，不 可以 出去 玩 。*Yàome* kànshū, *yàome* xiě zuòyè, bù kěyǐ chūqù wán.You either read or do homework. No playing outside. - *要么* 继续 找工作 ，*要么* 创业 ，不能 什么 都 不做 。*Yàome* jìxù zhǎo gōngzuò, *yàome* chuàngyè, bù néng shénme dōu bù zuò.Either keeping looking for a job or start your own business. You can't just sit around doing nothing. - 你 *要么* 加入 我们 队，*要么* 加入 他们 队 。Nǐ *yàome* jiārù wǒmen duì, *yàome* jiārù tāmen duì.You either join our team or their team. - 去年 夏天 ，我 每天 *要么* 去 健身房，*要么* 去 图书馆，特别 无聊 。Qùnián xiàtiān, wǒ měi tiān *yàome* qù jiànshēnfáng, *yàome* qù túshūguǎn, tèbié wúliáo.Last summer I either went to the gym or the library every day. It was so boring. - 我 老公 周末 *要么* 睡觉 ，*要么* 打 游戏 ，从来 不 做 家务 。Wǒ lǎogōng zhōumò *yàome* shuìjiào, *yàome* dǎ yóuxì, cónglái bù zuò jiāwù.My husband either sleeps or plays video games on weekends. He never does chores.
See also ------------------------------------------------------- - [Providing two options with double "huozhe"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Providing_two_options_with_double_%22huozhe%22) - [Expressing the only two possibilities](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_the_only_two_possibilities) Sources and further reading --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ### Books - [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1) (pp. 158) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2fdV2l3) - [New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_4_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC4)) (pp. 165) [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192)
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