In English, "or" can be used to connect words when offering or
considering choices ("do you want chicken or beef?"). It can also be
used as an "or" *statement* ("it doesn't matter if we eat chicken or
beef"), in Chinese, this is what 或者 (huòzhě) is used for.

Structure
---------

While 还是 (háishì) is used for ["or" in
questions](Offering_choices_with_"haishi" "wikilink"), 或者 (huòzhě) is
used for "or" in **statements.**

<div class="jiegou">
Possibility 1 + 或者 + Possibility 2

</div>
Examples
--------

<div class="liju">
-   我 喝 <strong>咖啡</strong> <em>或者</em> <strong>茶</strong> ，都
    行。<span class="pinyin">Wǒ hē <strong>kāfēi</strong>
    <em>huòzhě</em> <strong>chá</strong>, dōu
    xíng.</span><span class="trans">I drink coffee or tea. Either is
    OK.</span>
-   <strong>星期六</strong> <em>或者</em> <strong>星期天</strong> ， 都
    可以 。 <span class="pinyin"><strong>Xīngqīliù</strong>
    <em>huòzhě</em> <strong>Xīngqītiān</strong>, dōu
    kěyǐ.</span><span class="trans">Saturday or Sunday are both
    OK.</span>
-   今天 晚上 我 想 吃 <strong>披萨</strong> <em>或者</em>
    <strong>寿司</strong>。<span class="pinyin"> Jīntiān wǎnshang wǒ
    xiǎng chī <strong>pīsà</strong> <em>huòzhě</em>
    <strong>shòusī</strong>.</span><span class="trans">Tonight I would
    like to eat pizza or sushi.</span>
-   周末 的 时候，我 喜欢 在 家 <strong>做饭</strong> <em>或者</em>
    <strong>看 电影</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Zhōumò de shíhou, wǒ
    xǐhuan zài jiā <strong>zuòfàn</strong> <em>huòzhě</em> <strong>kàn
    diànyǐng</strong>.</span><span class="trans">During the weekend, I
    like to cook or watch movies at home.</span>
-   <strong>你 去</strong> <em>或者</em> <strong>她 去</strong> ，都
    可以 。<span class="pinyin"><strong>Nǐ qù</strong> <em>huòzhě</em>
    <strong>tā qù</strong>, dōu kěyǐ. </span><span class="trans">You go
    or she goes, either way is fine.</span>
-   下班 以后 <strong>我 去 你 家</strong> <em>或者</em> <strong>你 来
    我 家</strong> ， 都 可以。<span class="pinyin">Xiàbān yǐhòu
    <strong>wǒ qù nǐ jiā</strong> <em>huòzhě</em> <strong>nǐ lái wǒ
    jiā</strong>, dōu kěyǐ.</span><span class="trans">After work I will
    go to your house, or you can come to my house, either way is
    fine.</span>
-   下 个 月 我 打算 去 <strong>杭州</strong> <em>或者</em>
    <strong>苏州</strong> 旅行。<span class="pinyin">Xià gè yuè wǒ
    dǎsuàn qù <strong>Hángzhōu</strong> <em>huòzhě</em>
    <strong>Sūzhōu</strong> lǚxíng.</span><span class="trans">Next month
    I plan to go to Hangzhou or Suzhou to travel.</span>
-   我们 可以 <strong>坐 飞机</strong> <em>或者</em> <strong>坐
    高铁</strong> 去。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen kěyǐ <strong>zuò
    fēijī</strong> <em>huòzhě</em> <strong>zuò gāotiě</strong>
    qù.</span><span class="trans">We can go by plane or by high-speed
    train.</span>
-   晚饭 以后 我 和 家人 <strong>聊天</strong> <em>或者</em> <strong>看
    电视</strong> 。<span class="pinyin">Wǎnfàn yǐhòu wǒ hé jiārén
    <strong>liáotiān</strong> <em>huòzhě</em> <strong>kàn
    diànshì</strong>.</span><span class="trans">After dinner I chat with
    or watch TV with my family.</span>
-   你 可以 用 <strong>手机</strong> <em>或者</em> <strong>电脑</strong>
    上网。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ kěyǐ yòng <strong>shǒujī</strong>
    <em>huòzhě</em> <strong>diànnǎo</strong>
    shàngwǎng.</span><span class="trans">You can use either a cell phone
    or computer to go online.</span>

</div>
See also
--------

-   [Offering choices with
    "haishi"](Offering_choices_with_"haishi" "wikilink")
-   [Providing two options with double
    "huozhe"](Providing_two_options_with_double_"huozhe" "wikilink")
    (advanced article)

Sources and further reading
---------------------------

### Books

-   [Basic Patterns of Chinese
    Grammar](Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar "wikilink") (pp. 74-5)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933330899/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=1933330899)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1
    (3rd ed)](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed) "wikilink") (pp.
    257-8)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385)
-   [Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part
    1](Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_1 "wikilink") (pp. 239-40)
    [→buy](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276792/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276792)

[Category:A2 grammar points](Category:A2_grammar_points "wikilink")