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<h1>Expressing "or" in statements</h1>
<p>In English, "<b>or</b>" can be used to connect words when offering or considering choices ("<b>do you want chicken or beef?</b>"). It can also be used as an "<b>or</b>" statement ("<b>it doesn't matter if we eat chicken or beef</b>"), in Chinese, this is what <span class="hanzi">或者</span> (<span class="pinyin">huòzhě</span>) is used for.</p>
<h2 id="structure">Structure</h2>
<p>While <span class="hanzi">还是</span> (<span class="pinyin">háishì</span>) is used for "<b>or</b>" in questions, <span class="hanzi">或者</span> (<span class="pinyin">huòzhě</span>) is used for "<b>or</b>" in statements.</p>
<div class="deux">
<p>Possibility 1 + <span class="hanzist">或者</span> + Possibility 2</p>
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<h2 id="examples">Examples</h2>
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<ul>
<li><span class="hanzi">我 喝 <span class="fondvert">咖啡</span> <span class="fondjaune">或者</span> <span class="fondvert">茶</span> ，都 行。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Wǒ hē <span class="fondvert">kāfēi</span> <span class="fondjaune">huòzhě</span> <span class="fondvert">chá</span>, dōu xíng.</span> <br/>I drink coffee or tea. Either is OK.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi"><span class="fondvert">星期六</span> <span class="fondjaune">或者</span> <span class="fondvert">星期天</span> ， 都 可以 。</span> <br/><span class="pinyin"><span class="fondvert">Xīngqīliù</span> <span class="fondjaune">huòzhě</span> <span class="fondvert">Xīngqītiān</span>, dōu kěyǐ.</span> <br/>Saturday or Sunday are both OK.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">今天 晚上 我 想 吃 <span class="fondvert">披萨</span> <span class="fondjaune">或者</span> <span class="fondvert">寿司</span>。</span> <br/><span class="pinyin">Jīntiān wǎnshang wǒ xiǎng chī <span class="fondvert">pīsà</span> <span class="fondjaune">huòzhě</span> <span class="fondvert">shòusī</span>.</span> <br/>Tonight I would like to eat pizza or sushi.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">周末 的 时候，我 喜欢 在 家 <span class="fondvert">做饭</span> <span class="fondjaune">或者</span> <span class="fondvert">看 电影</span> 。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Zhōumò de shíhou, wǒ xǐhuan zài jiā <span class="fondvert">zuòfàn</span> <span class="fondjaune">huòzhě</span> <span class="fondvert">kàn diànyǐng</span>.</span> <br/>During the weekend, I like to cook or watch movies at home.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi"><span class="fondvert">你 去</span> <span class="fondjaune">或者</span> <span class="fondvert">她 去</span> ，都 可以 。</span><br/><span class="pinyin"><span class="fondvert">Nǐ qù</span> <span class="fondjaune">huòzhě</span> <span class="fondvert">tā qù</span>, dōu kěyǐ.</span> <br/>You go or she goes, either way is fine.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">下班 以后 <span class="fondvert">我 去 你 家</span> <span class="fondjaune">或者</span> <span class="fondvert">你 来 我 家</span> ， 都 可以。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Xiàbān yǐhòu <span class="fondvert">wǒ qù nǐ jiā</span> <span class="fondjaune">huòzhě</span> <span class="fondvert">nǐ lái wǒ jiā</span>, dōu kěyǐ.</span> <br/>After work I will go to your house, or you can come to my house, either way is fine.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">下 个 月 我 打算 去 <span class="fondvert">杭州</span> <span class="fondjaune">或者</span> <span class="fondvert">苏州</span> 旅行。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Xià gè yuè wǒ dǎsuàn qù <span class="fondvert">Hángzhōu</span> <span class="fondjaune">huòzhě</span> <span class="fondvert">Sūzhōu</span> lǚxíng.</span> <br/>Next month I plan to go to Hangzhou or Suzhou to travel.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">我们 可以 <span class="fondvert">坐 飞机</span> <span class="fondjaune">或者</span> <span class="fondvert">坐 高铁</span> 去。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Wǒmen kěyǐ <span class="fondvert">zuò fēijī</span> <span class="fondjaune">huòzhě</span> <span class="fondvert">zuò gāotiě</span> qù.</span><br/> We can go by plane or by high-speed train.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">晚饭 以后 我 和 家人 <span class="fondvert">聊天</span> <span class="fondjaune">或者</span> <span class="fondvert">看 电视</span> 。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Wǎnfàn yǐhòu wǒ hé jiārén <span class="fondvert">liáotiān</span> <span class="fondjaune">huòzhě</span> <span class="fondvert">kàn diànshì</span>.</span> <br/>After dinner I chat with or watch TV with my family.</li>
<li><span class="hanzi">你 可以 用 <span class="fondvert">手机</span> <span class="fondjaune">或者</span> <span class="fondvert">电脑</span> 上网。</span><br/><span class="pinyin">Nǐ kěyǐ yòng <span class="fondvert">shǒujī</span> <span class="fondjaune">huòzhě</span> <span class="fondvert">diànnǎo</span> shàngwǎng.</span> <br/>You can use either a cell phone or computer to go online.</li>
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<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="Offering_choices_with_"haishi"" title="wikilink">Offering choices with "haishi"</a></li>
<li><a href="Providing_two_options_with_double_"huozhe"" title="wikilink">Providing two options with double "huozhe"</a> (advanced article)</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li>Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 74-5)</li>
<li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 257-8)</li>
<li>Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 239-40)</li>
</ul>
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