Offering choices with "haishi"

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

Structure

Option A + 还是 + Option B

You can then put this into all kinds of questions with the following structure:

Subject + Verb + Option A + 还是 + Option B

Examples

还是 questions

Subject	Verb	Option A	还是	Option B		Translation
你	要	茶	还是	咖啡	？	Do you want tea or coffee?
你	是	美国人	还是	英国人	？	Are you American or English?
你	喜欢	啤酒	还是	葡萄酒	？	Do you like beer or wine?
他	是	医生	还是	老师	？	Is he a doctor or a teacher?
你	想吃	中国菜	还是	法国菜	？	Do you want to eat Chinese food or French food?
那	是	大猫	还是	小老虎	？	Is that a big cat or a little tiger?

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

See also

• "Or" in statements
• "Had better" with "haishi" (advanced article)
• Providing two options with double "huozhe" (advanced article)

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) (pp. 179) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 206-7, 251) →buy

Websites

• East Asia Student: The difference between 还是 and 或者
• Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: Comparing 还是 and 或者