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ChineseGrammarWiki


			
				
					
						
						
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  <h1></h1>

  <p>Both <span class="hanzi">还是</span> (<span class="pinyin">háishì</span>) and <span class="hanzi">或者</span> (<span class="pinyin">huòzhě</span>) mean “<b>or</b>” and are used to present a choice. However, <span class="hanzi">还是</span> is normally used when asking a question, and <span class="hanzi">或者</span> is mostly for declarative sentences.</p>

  <h2 id="还是-is-used-to-offer-choices-in-a-question"><span class="hanzist">还是</span> is used to offer choices in a question</h2>

  <p><a href="Offering_choices_with_&quot;haishi&quot;" title="wikilink">When asking a question, 还是 can be used to provide choices or options.</a></p>

  <h2>Contents</h2>

  <ol>
    <li>Structure<br/></li>

    <li>Examples<br/></li>

    <li>See also<br/></li>

    <li>Sources and further reading<br/></li>

    <ol>
      <li>Books<br/></li>
    </ol>
  </ol>

  <h3 id="structure">Structure</h3>

  <p>This grammar pattern is fairly flexible. You can create all kinds of questions with <span class="hanzi">还是</span> using the following structure.</p>

  <div>
    <div class="deux">
      Subj. + Verb + Option A + <span class="hanzist">还是</span> + Option B
    </div>
  </div>

  <h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">她 喜欢 你 还是 他 ？</span> <span class="pinyin">Tā xǐhuan nǐ háishì tā?</span> <span> Does she like you or him?</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 喝 茶 还是 喝 咖啡 ？</span> <span class="pinyin">Nǐ hē chá háishì hē kāfēi?</span> <span> Do you drink tea or coffee?</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 中午 出去 吃 还是 叫 外卖 ？</span><span class="pinyin"> Nǐ zhōngwǔ chūqù chī háishì jiào wàimài?</span> <span> Are you going out for lunch or order take-out?</span></li>

      <li><span class="vert"><span class="hanzi">我们 打车 或者 坐 地铁？</span> Since it is a question, it should use "还是"</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">你 的 中文 老师 姓 王 或者 姓 李?</span> <span class="vert">Since it is a question, it should use "还是"</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="或者-is-used-to-give-options-in-declarative-sentences"><span class="hanzist">或者</span> is used to give options in declarative sentences</h2>

  <p><a href="&quot;Or&quot;_in_statements" title="wikilink">或者 is used in declarative sentences in which options are presented.</a></p>

  <h3 id="structure-1">Structure</h3>

  <div>
    <div class="deux">
      Option 1 + <span class="hanzist">或者</span> + Option 2
    </div>
  </div>

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

  <h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">明天 或者 后天 都 行。</span> <span class="pinyin">Míngtiān huòzhě hòutiān dōu xíng.</span><br/><span> Either tomorrow or the day after is fine.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">周末 我 想 在 家 看书 或者 看 电影。</span> <span class="pinyin">Zhōumò wǒ xiǎng zài jiā kànshū huòzhě kàn diànyǐng.</span><br/><span> I'd like to stay at home reading or watching some movies.</span></li>

      <li><span class="vert"><span class="hanzi">我 喜欢 走路 还是 骑 自行车 上班 。</span> Since it's declarative, it uses "或者"</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="还是-is-used-for-questions-that-are-embedded-in-sentences"><span class="hanzist">还是</span> is used for questions that are embedded in sentences</h2>

  <p>Deciding whether or not to use <span class="hanzi">还是</span> becomes difficult with sentences that contain statements like “<b>I don’t know,</b>” “<b>I want to know</b>,” “<b>I’m not sure</b>,” 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 <span class="hanzi">还是</span>.</p>

  <h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span class="hanzi">我 不 知道 这 本 书 是 他 的 还是 我 的。</span> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù zhīdào zhè běn shū shì tā de háishì wǒ de.</span><br/><span> I don't know if this book is his or mine.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 不 知道 是 自己 跟 他 说 还是 让 别人 帮 我 跟 他 说。</span> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù zhīdào shì zìjǐ gēn tā shuō háishì ràng biérén bāng wǒ gēn tā shuō.</span><br/><span> I don't know if I should talk to him myself or ask someone else to talk to him for me.</span></li>

      <li><span class="hanzi">我 不 清楚 是 我们 先 走 还是 等 他们 一起 走。</span> <span class="pinyin">Wǒ bù qīngchu shì wǒmen xiān zǒu háishì děng tāmen yīqǐ zǒu.</span><br/><span> I'm not sure if we should leave first, or wait for them and leave together.</span></li>

      <li><span class="vert"><span class="hanzi">老板 现在 还 不 确定 是 这 个 周 出差 或者 下 个 周。</span> It's an embedded question, so it should use "还是"</span></li>

      <li><span class="vert"><span class="hanzi">我 不 知道 他 要 看电影 或者 听 音乐。</span> It's an embedded question, so it should use "还是"</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="还是-is-used-to-indicate-a-preferred-course-of-action"><span class="hanzist">还是</span> is used to indicate a preferred course of action</h2>

  <h3 id="structure-2">Structure</h3>

  <p><a href="&quot;Had_better&quot;_with_&quot;haishi&quot;" title="wikilink">还是 can also be used to express the English words "ought to" or "had better."</a> The use of 还是 implies that the there were originally two options and the speaker has decided on one. In this grammar structure, 还是 often comes before the verb and sometimes before the subject. 吧 is often placed at the end of the statement to emphasize that <a href="Suggestions_with_&quot;ba&quot;" title="wikilink">it is a suggestion</a>.</p>

  <h3 id="examples-3">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span><span class="hanzi">今天 晚上 我 太忙了，不可以 去 酒吧。我 还是 做 作业 吧。</span> I'm extremely busy tonight, so I can't go to the bar. I'd better do my homework.</span></li>

      <li><span><span class="hanzi">我 听说 这部电影 不好看，我们 还是 看 其他的 吧。</span> I heard this movie wasn't good. We should watch another one.</span></li>

      <li><span><span class="hanzi">今天 的 作业 特别 难，我们 还是 问 老师 吧。</span> Today's homework is especially hard. We had better ask the teacher.</span></li>

      <li><span class="vert"><span class="hanzi">我 困死了，或者 回家 睡觉 吧。</span> "或者" isn't used for suggestions.</span></li>

      <li><span class="vert"><span class="hanzi">我 非常 无聊，我们 或者 出去玩 吧。</span> "或者" isn't used for suggestions.</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="或者-can-be-repeated-when-providing-options"><span class="hanzist">或者</span> can be repeated when providing options</h2>

  <p><a href="Providing_two_options_with_double_&quot;huozhe&quot;" title="wikilink">Another easy way to use 或者 to give two options is to place 或者 before both options.</a></p>

  <h3 id="structure-3">Structure</h3>

  <div>
    <div class="deux">
      <span style="color: rgb(255, 127, 80); font-family: NotoSansCJKsc; font-size: 30px;">或者</span> A<span class="hanzist">，或者</span> B
    </div>
  </div>

  <p>Almost anything can be placed after either <span class="hanzi">或者</span>.</p>

  <h3 id="examples-4">Examples</h3>

  <div class="exemple">
    <ul>
      <li><span><span class="hanzi">只 有 一 块 蛋糕，或者 你 吃 或者 我 吃。</span> There's only one piece of cake. Either you eat it, or I do.</span></li>

      <li><span><span class="hanzi">你 或者 学 汉语 ， 或者 学 法律，别的就别学了。</span> Either study Chinese or law, don't study anything else.</span></li>

      <li><span class="vert"><span class="hanzi">咱们 还是 去 爬山 还是 泡温泉。</span> It's declarative, so it uses "或者"</span></li>
    </ul>
  </div>

  <h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2>

  <ul>
    <li><a href="&quot;Or&quot;_in_statements" title="wikilink">"Or" in statements</a></li>

    <li><a href="Providing_two_options_with_double_&quot;huozhe&quot;" title="wikilink">Providing two options with double "huozhe"</a></li>

    <li><a href="Offering_choices_with_&quot;haishi&quot;" title="wikilink">Offering choices with "haishi"</a></li>

    <li><a href="&quot;Had_better&quot;_with_&quot;haishi&quot;" title="wikilink">"Had better" with "haishi"</a></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>Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 144)</li>

    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 259-60)　</li>

    <li>New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本4</span>) (pp. 103)</li>

    <li>Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 76-7, 257-8)　</li>

    <li>New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本1</span>) (pp. 179)</li>

    <li>New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (<span class="hanzi">新实用汉语课本1</span>)(2nd ed) (pp. 206-7, 251)</li>

    <li><span class="hanzi">现代汉语八百词（增订本）</span> (pp. 238)</li>
  </ul>

  <h3 id="websites">Websites</h3>

  <ul>
    <li>Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: <a href="http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0213.html">Comparing <span class="hanzi">还是</span> and <span class="hanzi">或者</span></a></li>
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