Expressing "had better" with "haishi"

One of the ways to use 还是(háishì) is to have it mean "you better", similar to how in English we may say "you had better start on your homework."

Structure

You can use 还是 (háishì) as an adverb to express "had better" or "ought to". The idea is that the speaker has given the matter some thought, and after considering it, has finally come to a decision. The announcement of this decision will frequently include 还是, and it is often before a verb or a subject.

吧 is often placed after this structure as it's a suggestion.

Examples

• 你 不 会， 还是 我 做 吧。You can't, I had better do it.
• 我 饿 了，我们 还是 先 吃饭 吧。I'm hungry, we had better eat first.
• 这里 太 脏 了， 我们 还是 走 吧。It's too dirty here. We'd better go.
• 你 还是 现在 就 跟 我 说 吧。You'd better talk with me now.
• 你 病 了 这么 长 时间，还是 去 医院 吧。I'v been sick for a long time. I'd better go to the doctor.

See also

• Offering choices with haishi
• "Yinggai" for should

Sources and further reading

Books

• Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition (pp. 144) →buy
• Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 259-60)　→buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4) (pp. 103) →buy

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