Offering choices with "haishi"

还是 (háishì) is used in Chinese to provide options in a question. This is equivalent to one of our uses of "or" in English.

Simplest Form

Structure

Option A + 还是 + Option B ?

When you're asked a question of this form, there are two ways you're expected to answer: either Option A or Option B. (Pick one, but not both.) It's not that no other answers are possible, it's that usually when you're asked a question this way, the person asking expects you to just choose one. For example, if asked if you'd like to drink coffee or tea, most people are going to choose one or the other, not ask for both. 还是 (háishì) is used to ask people to make that choice between the two.

Examples

• 我 还是 他 ？ Wǒ háishì tā?Me or him?
• 一 个 还是 两 个 ？ Yīgè háishì liǎng gè?One or two?
• 辣 的 还是 不 辣 的？Là de háishì bù là de?Spicy or non-spicy?
• 冰 的 还是 热 的？Bīng de háishì rè de?Cold or hot?
• 上海 还是 北京 ？ (The eternal China expat question! Choose wisely...)Shànghǎi háishì Běijīng?Shanghai or Beijing?

Full Sentence Form

Structure

You can take the structure above, add a subject and a verb, and create all kinds of questions with the following structure:

Subject + Verb + Option A + 还是 + Option B ?

Examples

• 这 是 水 还是 酒 ？ Zhè shì shuǐ háishì jiǔ ?Is this water or alcohol?
• 他 是 美国 人 还是 英国 人 ？ Tā shì Měiguó rén háishì Yīngguó rén ?Is he American or British?
• 你 喜欢 我 还是 我 的 钱 ？ Nǐ xǐhuan wǒ háishì wǒ de qián ?Do you like me or my money?
• 你 要 喝 茶 还是 咖啡 ？ Nǐ yào hē chá háishì kāfēi?Do you want to drink tea or coffee?
• 你们 想 吃 中国 菜 还是 法国 菜 ？ Nǐmen xiǎng chī Zhōngguó cài háishì Fǎguó cài ?Do you want to eat Chinese food or French food?

Please note that 还是 (háishì) is for offering options in a question. It should not be used for "or" in statements.

See also

• "Or" in statements
• "Had better" with "haishi"
• Providing two options with double "huozhe"

Sources and Further Reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 76-7, 257-8)　→buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (p. 179) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 206-7, 251) →buy
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 125)→buy

Websites

• Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Comparing 还是 and 或者