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.

Simplest Form

Structure

Option A + 还是 + Option B ?

When you're asked a question of this form, there are two ways you're expected to answer: either Option A or Option B. (Pick one, but not both.) It's not that no other answers are possible, it's that usually when you're asked a question this way, the person asking expects you to just choose one. For example, if asked if you'd like to drink coffee or tea, most people are going to choose one or the other, not ask for both. 还是 (háishì) is used to ask people to make that choice between the two.

Examples

• 我 还是 他 ？ Wǒ háishì tā?Me or him?
• 上海 还是 北京 ？ (The eternal China expat question! Choose wisely...)Shànghǎi háishì Běijīng?Shanghai or Beijing?
• 啤酒 还是 葡萄酒 ？ Píjiǔ háishì pútáojiǔ?Beer or wine?
• 茶 还是 咖啡 ？ Chá háishì kāfēi?Tea or coffee?
• 一 个 还是 两 个 ？ Yīgè háishì liǎng gè?One or two?
• 地铁 还是 出租车？Dìtiě háishì chūzū chē?Subway or taxi?
• 冰 的 还是 热 的？Bīng de háishì rè de?Cold or hot?
• 辣 的 还是 不 辣 的？Là de háishì bù là de?Spicy or not spicy?
• 鸡肉 还是 牛肉？Jīròu háishì niúròu?Chicken or beef?
• 拿铁 还是 摩卡？Ná tiě háishì mókǎ?Latte or mocha?

Full Sentence Form

Structure

You can take the structure above, add a subject and a verb, and create all kinds of questions with the following structure:

Subject + Verb + Option A + 还是 + Option B ?

Examples

• 你 要 茶 还是 咖啡 ？ Nǐ yào chá háishì kāfēi?Do you want tea or coffee?
• 你 要 一 个 还是 两 个 ？ Nǐ yào yīgè háishì liǎng gè ?Do you want one or two?
• 你 是 美国 人 还是 英国 人 ？ Nǐ shì Měiguó rén háishì Yīngguó rén ?Are you American or British?
• 他 是 医生 还是 老师 ？ Tā shì yīshēng háishì lǎoshī ?Is he a doctor or a teacher?
• 你 喜欢 啤酒 还是 葡萄酒 ？ Nǐ xǐhuān píjiǔ háishì pútáojiǔ ?Do you like beer or wine?
• 你 喜欢 上海 还是 北京 ？ Nǐ xǐhuān Shànghǎi háishì Běijīng ?Do you like Shanghai or Beijing?
• 你 喜欢 我 还是 我 的 钱 ？ Nǐ xǐhuān wǒ háishì wǒ de qián ?Do you like me or my money?
• 你 想 吃 中国 菜 还是 法国 菜 ？ Nǐ xiǎng chī Zhōngguó cài háishì Fǎguó cài ?Do you want to eat Chinese food or French food?
• 你 想 去 香港 还是 泰国 ？ Nǐ xiǎng qù Xiānggǎng háishì Tàiguó ?Do you want to go to Hong Kong or Thailand?
• 这 是 水 还是 酒 ？ Zhè shì shuǐ háishì jiǔ ?Is this water or wine?
• 你 喜欢 说 普通话 还是 广东话 ？ (The expected answer is one or the other, not "both")Nǐ xǐhuān shuō Pǔtōnghuà háishì Guǎngdōng huà ?Do you like speaking Mandarin or Cantonese?
• 你 想 要 小狗 还是 小猫 ？ (The expected answer is one or the other, not "both")Nǐ xiǎng yào xiǎo gǒu háishì xiǎo māo ?Do you want a puppy or a kitten?

Please note that 还是 (háishì) 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"
• Providing two options with double "huozhe"

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) (p. 179) →buy
• New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed) (pp. 206-7, 251) →buy
• 40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册） (p. 125)→buy

Websites

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