Expressing "either... or..." with "yaome"

要么 (yàome) is used for offering a pair of choices with a hardline "either/or" feel: these are the two choices. Choose one. (It can also be used for more than two choices, but it's usually just two.)

Structure

You can give a series of alternatives by using 要么 (yàome). The structure is pretty versatile, as you can put a wide variety of things after each 要么. It can be used both for commands and non-commands.

要么 + Option A ，要么 + Option B

Examples

• 要么 你 去，要么 他 去 。Yàome nǐ qù, yàome tā qù.Either you go, or he goes.
• 要么 继续 ，要么 放弃 。Yàome jìxù, yàome fàngqì.Either keep going or give up.
• 要么 好好 做 ，要么 就 别 做 。Yàome hǎohāo zuò, yàome jiù bié zuò.You either do it well or don't do it.
• 要么 现在 就 买 ，要么 现在 就 走 。Yàome xiànzài jiù mǎi, yàome xiànzài jiù zǒu.Either buy it now, or leave now.
• 你 要么 回 老家 ，要么 留在 上海 。Nǐ yàome huí lǎojiā, yàome liúzài Shànghǎi.You either go back to your hometown or stay in Shanghai.
• 要么 看书 ，要么 写 作业 ，不 可以 出去 玩 。Yàome kànshū, yàome xiě zuòyè, bù kěyǐ chūqù wán.Either read or do your homework. No playing outside.
• 你 要么 加入 我们 队，要么 加入 他们 队 。Nǐ yàome jiārù wǒmen duì, yàome jiārù tāmen duì.You either join our team or their team.
• 要么 继续 找 工作 ，要么 创业 ，不 能 什么 都 不 做 。Yàome jìxù zhǎo gōngzuò, yàome chuàngyè, bù néng shénme dōu bù zuò.Either keeping looking for a job or start your own business. You can't do nothing.
• 去年 夏天 ，我 每天 要么 去 健身房，要么 去 图书馆，特别 无聊 。Qùnián xiàtiān, wǒ měi tiān yàome qù jiànshēnfáng, yàome qù túshūguǎn, tèbié wúliáo.Last summer I either went to the gym or the library every day. It was super boring.
• 我 老公 周末 要么 睡觉 ，要么 打 游戏 ，从来 不 做 家务 。Wǒ lǎogōng zhōumò yàome shuìjiào, yàome dǎ yóuxì, cónglái bù zuò jiāwù.My husband either sleeps or plays video games on weekends. He never does housework.

This "either/or" 要么 pattern is similar to one of the uses of each 要不 and 或者.

See also

• Providing two options with double "huozhe"
• Expressing the only two possibilities

Sources and further reading

Books

• Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 158) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 165) Anything Goes (无所不谈) →buy

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