Difference between revisions of "Expressing the only two possibilities"
Line 35: | Line 35: | ||
{{Basic Grammar|就是|B2|不是……,就是……|<em>不是</em> 成功,<em>就是</em> 失败。|grammar point|ASGEXR6R}} | {{Basic Grammar|就是|B2|不是……,就是……|<em>不是</em> 成功,<em>就是</em> 失败。|grammar point|ASGEXR6R}} | ||
{{Rel char|不是}} | {{Rel char|不是}} | ||
+ | {{Rel char|不}} | ||
+ | {{Rel char|就}} | ||
+ | {{Rel char|是}} | ||
{{Similar|"Not… But Rather…" with "er shi"}} | {{Similar|"Not… But Rather…" with "er shi"}} | ||
{{Similar|Expressing "either ... or ..." with "yaome"}} | {{Similar|Expressing "either ... or ..." with "yaome"}} |
Revision as of 08:01, 27 June 2013
-
Level
-
Similar to
-
Used for
-
Keywords
To describe a situation as being one of only two possibilities, you can use this structure:
Structure
不是 + A, 就是 + B
This is like saying "if it's not A, then it's B" in English. A and B can be verbs, adjectives or nouns.
Examples
- 他 整天 不 是 打游戏 就 是 睡觉。
- 他们 约会 不是 去 咖啡馆 就是 去 电影院。
- 我 买 的 衣服 不是 大 就是 小,都 不 能 穿。
- 她 穿 的 衣服 不是 LV 就是 Gucci!
See also
- "Not… But Rather…" with "er shi"
- Expressing "either ... or ..." with "yaome"
- Providing two options with double "huozhe"
Sources and further reading
Books