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[](http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1286538933)
[](# "wikilink")
Comparing "haishi" and "huozhe"
===============================
[](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/ASGQJ5IC)
-
Level
[B1](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/B1_grammar_points)
-
Similar to
- [Offering choices with
"haishi"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Offering_choices_with_%22haishi%22) (A1)
- [Expressing "or" in
statements](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Expressing_%22or%22_in_statements) (A2)
-
Used for
[Giving
alternatives](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Giving_alternatives),
[Asking
questions](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Asking_questions)
-
Keywords
[还是](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%BF%98%E6%98%AF),
[或者](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%88%96%E8%80%85),
[还](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E8%BF%98),
[是](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E6%98%AF)
-
Translations
[or](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Or)
[{width="300"
height="300"}](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/File:Chinese-grammar-wiki%EF%BC%8Dhaishi.jpg)
Contents
--------
[hide]([# "wikilink")\]
- [1 还是 for
Providing Choices as a
Question](#.E8.BF.98.E6.98.AF_for_Providing_Choices_as_a_Question "wikilink")
- [1.1
Structure](#Structure "wikilink")
- [1.2
Examples](#Examples "wikilink")
- [2 或者 for
Giving Options as a
Statement](#.E6.88.96.E8.80.85_for_Giving_Options_as_a_Statement "wikilink")
- [2.1
Structure](#Structure_2 "wikilink")
- [2.2
Examples](#Examples_2 "wikilink")
- [3 还是 for
Questions That Are Embedded in
Sentences](#.E8.BF.98.E6.98.AF_for_Questions_That_Are_Embedded_in_Sentences "wikilink")
- [4 Right or
Wrong](#Right_or_Wrong "wikilink")
- [5 See
also](#See_also "wikilink")
- [6 Sources and
further reading](#Sources_and_further_reading "wikilink")
- [6.1
Books](#Books "wikilink")
- [6.2
Websites](#Websites "wikilink")
Option A + 还是 + Option B ?
### 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
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[或者 is used in a statement in which options are
presented.](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22Or%22_in_statements)
### Structure
Possibility 1 + 或者 + Possibility 2
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.
See also
-------------------------------------------------------
- ["Or" in
statements](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%22Or%22_in_statements)
- [Offering choices with
"haishi"](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Offering_choices_with_%22haishi%22)
Sources and further reading
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
### Books
- [Basic Patterns of Chinese
Grammar](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Basic_Patterns_of_Chinese_Grammar) (pp.
74-5) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2ykU1OD)
- [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1
(3rd ed)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)) (pp.
257-8) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2xe9H5W)
- [Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second
Edition](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Chinese:_An_Essential_Grammar,_Second_Edition) (pp.
144) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2h67UYa)
- [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1
(3rd ed)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)) (pp.
259-60) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2xe9H5W)
- [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.
103)
[→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)
- [Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1
(3rd ed)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Integrated_Chinese:_Level_1,_Part_1_(3rd_ed)) (pp.
76-7, 257-8) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2xe9H5W)
- [New Practical Chinese Reader
1 (新实用汉语课本1)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC1)) (pp.
179) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2ykX9KF)
- [New Practical Chinese Reader 1
(新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/New_Practical_Chinese_Reader_1_(%E6%96%B0%E5%AE%9E%E7%94%A8%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%BE%E6%9C%AC1)(2nd_ed)) (pp.
206-7, 251) [→buy](http://amzn.to/2ykX9KF)
- [现代汉语八百词（增订本）](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D%EF%BC%88%E5%A2%9E%E8%AE%A2%E6%9C%AC%EF%BC%89) (pp.
238) \[ →buy\]
### Websites
- Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [Comparing 还是 and
或者](http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0213.html)
[Categories](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Special:Categories):
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comparison](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/gramwiki/?title=Category:Grammar_comparison&action=edit&redlink=1)
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points](https://resources.allsetlearning.com/chinese/grammar/Category:B1_grammar_points)
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