Comparing "haishi" and "huozhe"

Both 还是 (háishì) and 或者 (huòzhě) mean "or" and are used to present a choice. However, 还是 is normally used when asking a question, and 或者 is mostly for declarative sentences.

1 还是 for Providing Choices as a Question

1.1 Structure
1.2 Examples

2 或者 for Giving Options as a Statement

2.1 Structure
2.2 Examples

3 还是 for Questions That Are Embedded in Sentences
4 Right or Wrong
5 See also
6 Sources and further reading

6.1 Books
6.2 Websites

还是 for Providing Choices as a Question

Structure

Examples

你喜欢他还是我？ Nǐ xǐhuan tā háishì wǒ? Do you like him or me?
你喝茶还是喝咖啡？ Nǐ hē chá háishì hē kāfēi? Do you drink tea or coffee?
你中午出去吃还是叫外卖？ Nǐ zhōngwǔ chūqù chī háishì jiào wàimài? Are you going out for lunch or order take-out?

或者 for Giving Options as a Statement

Structure

The structure for 或者 and 还是 is the same, but the meaning, as well as the context in which 或者 is needed, is different. 或者 drops the "A or B, PICK ONE" attitude in favor of a more open, "maybe A, perhaps B... (or maybe both or neither?)" So it's less exclusive and less demanding of a choice RIGHT NOW.

Examples

周末我想在家看书或者看电影。 Zhōumò wǒ xiǎng zài jiā kànshū huòzhě kàn diànyǐng. This weekend, I want to stay home and read or watch movies.
你可以坐 1 号线或者 2 号线去人民广场。 Nǐ kěyǐ zuò yī hào xiàn huòzhě èr hào xiàn qù Rénmín Guǎngchǎng. You can take Line 1 or Line 2 to People's Square.
我们可以电话或者邮件联系。 Wǒmen kěyǐ diànhuà huòzhě yóujiàn liánxì. We can contact each other by phone or email.

还是 for Questions That Are Embedded in Sentences

Deciding whether or not to use 还是 becomes difficult with sentences that contain statements like "I don’t know," "I want to know," "I’m not sure," etc. Alone, these statements are not technically questions. However, when used in a sentence that contains choices, these statements imply that a question must be answered. Therefore, you must use 还是.

A few examples:

我不知道这本书是他的还是我的。 Wǒ bù zhīdào zhè běn shū shì tā de háishì wǒ de. I don't know if this book is his or mine.
我想知道他们是支持还是反对。 Wǒ xiǎng zhīdào tāmen shì zhīchí háishì fǎnduì. I want to know if they support or oppose.
老板不确定是这个周末出差还是下个周末出差。 Lǎobǎn bù quèdìng shì zhège zhōumò chūchāi háishì xià gè zhōumò chūchāi. The boss isn't sure if he's going on a business trip this weekend or next weekend.

Right or Wrong

我们打车或者坐地铁？Since it is a question, it should use 还是 Wǒmen dǎchē huòzhě zuò dìtiě? Shall we take a taxi or take the metro?
明天还是后天都行。Since it is a statement, it should use 或者 Míngtiān huòzhě hòutiān dōu xíng. Either tomorrow or the day after is fine.
我想知道那个人是男的或者女的。It's an embedded question, so it should use 还是 Wǒ xiǎng zhīdào nà ge rén shì nánde huòzhě nǚde. I'd like to know if that person is male or female.

Comparing "haishi" and "huozhe"

Contents

还是 for Providing Choices as a Question

Structure

Examples

或者 for Giving Options as a Statement

Structure

Examples

还是 for Questions That Are Embedded in Sentences

A few examples:

Right or Wrong

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites