Difference between revisions of "Comparing "haishi" and "huozhe""
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<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 femal.</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 femal.</span></li> | ||
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== See also == | == See also == | ||
Revision as of 07:54, 25 January 2018
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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
- 她 喜欢 你 还是 他 ？Does she like you or him?
- 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.
- 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.
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 或者 下 个 星期 出差 。The boss isn't sure if he's going on business trips this week or next week.
- 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 femal.
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
