Difference between revisions of "Comparing "haishi" and "huozhe""
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| − | * | + | *你 喜欢 他 <em>还是</em> 我 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ xǐhuan tā<em>háishì</em> wǒ? </span><span class="trans">Does you like him or me? </span> |
*你 喝 茶 <em>还是</em> 喝 咖啡 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ hē chá <em>háishì</em> hē kāfēi? </span><span class="trans">Do you drink tea or coffee? </span> | *你 喝 茶 <em>还是</em> 喝 咖啡 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ hē chá <em>háishì</em> hē kāfēi? </span><span class="trans">Do you drink tea or coffee? </span> | ||
*你 中午 出去 吃 <em>还是</em> 叫 外卖 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhōngwǔ chūqù chī <em>háishì</em> jiào wàimài? </span><span class="trans">Are you going out for lunch or order take-out? </span> | *你 中午 出去 吃 <em>还是</em> 叫 外卖 ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ zhōngwǔ chūqù chī <em>háishì</em> jiào wàimài? </span><span class="trans">Are you going out for lunch or order take-out? </span> | ||
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| − | == 还是 | + | == 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. | 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. | ||
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| + | <li class="x">我们 打车 <strong>或者</strong> 坐 地铁？<span class="expl">Since it is a question, it should use 还是</span><span class="trans">Shall we take a taxi or take the metro?</span></li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
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<ul> | <ul> | ||
<li class="x">我 想 知道 那个 人 是 男的 <em>或者</em> 女的 。<span class="expl">It's an embedded question, so it should use 还是</span><span class="trans">I want to know if that person is male or female.</span></li> | <li class="x">我 想 知道 那个 人 是 男的 <em>或者</em> 女的 。<span class="expl">It's an embedded question, so it should use 还是</span><span class="trans">I want to know if that person is male or female.</span></li> | ||
</ul> | </ul> | ||
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</div> | </div> | ||
Revision as of 08:07, 25 January 2018
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
Both 还是 (háishì) and 或者 (huòzhě) mean "or" and are used to present a choice. However, 还是 is normally used when asking a question, and 或者 is mostly for declarative sentences.
Contents
还是 for Provide Choices in A Question
When asking a question, 还是 can be used to provide choices or options.
Structure
Option A + 还是 + Option B ?
Examples
- 你 喜欢 他 还是 我 ？Does you like him or me?
- 你 喝 茶 还是 喝 咖啡 ？Do you drink tea or coffee?
- 你 中午 出去 吃 还是 叫 外卖 ？Are you going out for lunch or order take-out?
或者 for Giving Options in A Statement
或者 is used in a statement in which options are presented.
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
- 明天 或者 后天 都 行 。Either tomorrow or the day after is fine.
- 我们 可以 电话 或者 邮件 联系 。We can contact each other by phone or email.
- 周末 我 想 在 家 看书 或者 看 电影 。I'd like to stay at home reading or watching some movies.
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。I don't know if this book is his or mine.
- 我 不 清楚 是 我们 先 走 还是 等 他们 一起 走。I'm not sure if we should leave first, or wait for them and leave together.
- 老板 不 确定 是 这个 星期 出差 还是 下 个 星期 出差 。The boss isn't sure if he's going on business trips this week or next week.
Wrong Examples
- 我们 打车 或者 坐 地铁？Since it is a question, it should use 还是Shall we take a taxi or take the metro?
- 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I want to know if that person is male or female.
See also
Sources and further reading
Books
- Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 74-5) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 257-8) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 144) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 259-60) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 103) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 76-7, 257-8) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1) (pp. 179) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 206-7, 251) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
- 现代汉语八百词（增订本） (pp. 238) [ →buy]
Websites
- Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Comparing 还是 and 或者
