Difference between revisions of "Comparing "haishi" and "huozhe""
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{{Grammar Box}}  
 
{{Grammar Box}}  
  
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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.   
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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.   
  
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== Used in A Question ==
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== 还是 Used for A Question ==
  
 
[[Offering choices with "haishi"|When asking a question, 还是 can be used to provide choices or options.]]  
 
[[Offering choices with "haishi"|When asking a question, 还是 can be used to provide choices or options.]]  
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== Used to give options in declarative sentences ==
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== 或者 Used for Giving Options in A Statement ==
  
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[["Or" in statements|或者 is used in declarative sentences in which options are presented.]]
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[["Or" in statements|或者 is used in a statement in which options are presented.]]
  
 
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.
 
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.
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<div class="liju">
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<li class="o">我 不 知道 这 本 书 是 他 的 <em>还是</em> 我 的。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ bù zhīdào zhè běn shū shì tā de <em>háishì</em> wǒ de.</span><span class="trans">I don't know if this book is his or mine.</span></li>
 
<li class="o">我 不 知道 这 本 书 是 他 的 <em>还是</em> 我 的。<span class="pinyin"> Wǒ bù zhīdào zhè běn shū shì tā de <em>háishì</em> wǒ de.</span><span class="trans">I don't know if this book is his or mine.</span></li>
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<li class="x">我 不 知道 他 要 看电影 <em>或者</em> 听 音乐。<span class="expl">It's an embedded question, so it should use "还是"</span></li>
 
<li class="x">我 不 知道 他 要 看电影 <em>或者</em> 听 音乐。<span class="expl">It's an embedded question, so it should use "还是"</span></li>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
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</div>
 
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== 还是 is used to indicate a preferred course of action ==
 
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=== Structure ===
 
  
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[["Had better" with "haishi"|还是 can also be used to express the English words "ought to" or "had better."]]  The use of 还是 implies that the there were originally two options and the speaker has decided on one. In this grammar structure, 还是 often comes before the verb and sometimes before the subject. 吧 is often placed at the end of the statement to emphasize that [[Suggestions with "ba"|it is a suggestion]].
 
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===Examples=== 
 
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<div class="liju">
 
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<ul>
 
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<li class="o">今天 晚上 我 太忙了，不可以 去 酒吧。我 <em>还是</em> 做 作业 <strong>吧</strong>。<span class="trans">I'm extremely busy tonight, so I can't go to the bar. I'd better do my homework.</span></li>
 
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<li class="o">我 听说 这部电影 不好看，我们 <em>还是</em> 看 其他的 <strong>吧</strong>。<span class="trans">I heard this movie wasn't good. We should watch another one.</span></li>
 
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<li class="o">今天 的 作业 特别 难，我们 <em>还是</em> 问 老师 <strong>吧</strong>。<span class="trans">Today's homework is especially hard. We had better ask the teacher.</span></li>
 
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<li class="x">我 困死了，<strong>或者</strong> 回家 睡觉 <strong>吧</strong>。<span class="expl">"或者" isn't used for suggestions.</span></li>
 
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<li class="x">我 非常 无聊，我们 <strong>或者</strong> 出去玩 <strong>吧</strong>。<span class="expl">"或者" isn't used for suggestions.</span></li>
 
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</ul>
 
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</div>
 
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== 或者 can be repeated when providing options ==
 
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[[Providing two options with double "huozhe"|Another easy way to use 或者 to give two options is to place 或者 before both options.]]
 
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=== Structure ===
 
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<div class="jiegou">
 
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或者 A，或者 B
 
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</div>
 
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Almost anything can be placed after either 或者.
 
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=== Examples ===
 
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<div class="liju">
 
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<ul>
 
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<li class="o">只 有 一 块 蛋糕，<em>或者</em> 你 吃 <em>或者</em> 我 吃。<span class="trans">There's only one piece of cake. Either you eat it, or I do.</span></li>
 
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<li class="o">你 <em>或者</em> 学 汉语 ， <em>或者</em> 学 法律，别的就别学了。<span class="trans">Either study Chinese or law, don't study anything else.</span></li>
 
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<li class="x">咱们 <strong>还是</strong> 去 爬山 <strong>还是</strong> 泡温泉。<span class="expl">It's declarative, so it uses "或者"</span></li>
 
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</ul>
 
 
</div>
 
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* [["Or" in statements]]
 
* [["Or" in statements]]
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* [[Providing two options with double "huozhe"]]
 
 
* [[Offering choices with "haishi"]]
 
* [[Offering choices with "haishi"]]
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* [["Had better" with "haishi"]]
 
  
 
== Sources and  further reading ==
 
== Sources and  further reading ==
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{{Rel char|是}}
 
{{Rel char|是}}
 
{{Similar|"Or" in statements}}
 
{{Similar|"Or" in statements}}
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{{Similar|Providing two options with double "huozhe"}}
 
 
{{Similar|Offering choices with "haishi"}}
 
{{Similar|Offering choices with "haishi"}}
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{{Similar|"Had better" with "haishi"}}
 
 
{{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
 
{{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
 
{{Used for|Asking questions}}
 
{{Used for|Asking questions}}
 
{{Translation|or}}
 
{{Translation|or}}
 
{{Comparison|Conjunctions}}
 
{{Comparison|Conjunctions}}

Revision as of 07:34, 25 January 2018

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.

还是 Used for A Question

When asking a question, 还是 can be used to provide choices or options.

Examples

  • 她 喜欢 你 还是 他 ？Tā xǐhuan nǐ háishì tā? Does she like you or him?
  • 你 喝 茶 还是 喝 咖啡 ？Nǐ hē chá háishì hē kāfēi? Do you drink tea or coffee?
  • 你 中午 出去 吃 还是 叫 外卖 ？Nǐ zhōngwǔ chūqù chī háishì jiào wàimài? Are you going out for lunch or order take-out?
  • 我们 打车 或者 坐 地铁？Since it is a question, it should use "还是"
  • 你 的 中文 老师 姓 王 或者 姓 李? Since it is a question, it should use "还是"

或者 Used for Giving Options in A Statement

或者 is used in a statement in which options are presented.

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。Míngtiān huòzhě hòutiān dōu xíng.Either tomorrow or the day after is fine.
  • 周末 我 想 在 家 看书 或者 看 电影。Zhōumò wǒ xiǎng zài jiā kànshū huòzhě kàn diànyǐng.I'd like to stay at home reading or watching some movies.
  • 我 喜欢 走路 还是 骑 自行车 上班 。Since it's declarative, it uses "或者"

还是 is used 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.

Examples

  • 我 不 知道 这 本 书 是 他 的 还是 我 的。 Wǒ bù zhīdào zhè běn shū shì tā de háishì wǒ de.I don't know if this book is his or mine.
  • 我 不 知道 是 自己 跟 他 说 还是 让 别人 帮 我 跟 他 说。Wǒ bù zhīdào shì zìjǐ gēn tā shuō háishì ràng biérén bāng wǒ gēn tā shuō.I don't know if I should talk to him myself or ask someone else to talk to him for me.
  • 我 不 清楚 是 我们 先 走 还是 等 他们 一起 走。Wǒ bù qīngchu shì wǒmen xiān zǒu háishì děng tāmen yīqǐ zǒu.I'm not sure if we should leave first, or wait for them and leave together.
  • 老板 现在 还 不 确定 是 这 个 周 出差 或者 下 个 周。It's an embedded question, so it should use "还是"
  • 我 不 知道 他 要 看电影 或者 听 音乐。It's an embedded question, so it should use "还是"

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Websites


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