Difference between revisions of "Expressing "had better" with "haishi""

Latest revision as of 07:55, 26 November 2018

Level

B1 / HSK4
Level

B1
Level

HSK4
Similar to
Similar to
- Expressing "should" with "yinggai" (HSK3)
- Offering choices with "haishi" (HSK3)
- Expressing "had better" with "zuihao" (HSK4)
- Expressing "how about" with "yaobu" (HSK5)
Used for

Expressing obligations, Expressing quality
Keywords

是, 还是, 吧, 还

One of the ways to use 还是 (háishì) is to have it mean "you had better," after having compared two options. Usually there's even a bit of deliberation before the speaker announces what "it would be better" to do, using 还是.

Structure

还是 as an adverb can express "had better" or "it would be better 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 usually comes before a verb or a subject.

Subj. + 还是 + [Verb Phrase] + 吧

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

Examples

还是明天去吧。Háishì míngtiān qù ba.We'd better go tomorrow.
还是让她进来吧。Háishì ràng tā jìnlái ba.We'd better let her come in.
你还是快点走吧。Nǐ háishì kuài diǎn zǒu ba.You'd better leave now.
我们还是帮帮他吧。Wǒmen háishì bāngbang tā ba.We'd better help him.
太晚了，还是先回家吧。Tài wǎn le, háishì xiān huíjiā ba.It's too late. We'd better go home now.
这里太脏了，我们还是走吧。Zhèlǐ tài zāng le, wǒmen háishì zǒu ba.It's too dirty here; we'd better leave.
快迟到了，我们还是打车吧。Kuài chídào le, wǒmen háishì dǎchē ba.We're running late. Let's take a taxi.

When the part after 还是 is a negative verb phrase, it's OK to drop the 吧 at the end.

太贵了，还是别买了。Tài guì le, háishì bié mǎi le.It's too expensive. You'd better not buy it.
她不想说，还是不要再问了。Tā bù xiǎng shuō, háishì bùyào zài wèn le.She doesn't want to say. We'd better not ask again.
他一定不同意，还是别跟他说了。Tā yīdìng bù tóngyì, háishì bié gēn tā shuō le.He will definitely not agree to it. We'd better not say anything to him.

Sources and further reading

Books

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Grammar Box}} \r\nOne of the ways to use 还是 (háishì) is to have it mean "you had better," similar to how in English we may say "I think you had better start on your homework."\r\n== Structure ==\r\n还是 as an [[adverbs|adverb]] can express "had better" or "it would be better 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 usually comes before a verb or a subject.\r\n<div class="jiegou">\r\nSubject + 还是 + Action + (吧)\r\n</div>\r\n
+{{Grammar Box}}
-吧 is often placed after this structure, [[Softening speech with "ba"|as it's a suggestion]].\r\n== Examples ==\r\n<div class="liju">\r\n* 你 不 会， <em>还是</em> 我 做 吧。<span class="trans">You can't, I had better do it.</span>
-* 我 饿 了，我们 <em>还是</em> 先 吃饭 吧。<span class="trans">I'm hungry, we had better eat first.</span>
+One of the ways to use 还是 (háishì) is to have it mean "you had better," after having compared two options. Usually there's even a bit of deliberation before the speaker announces what "it would be better" to do, using 还是.
-* 这里 太 脏 了， 我们 <em>还是</em> 走 吧。<span class="trans">It's too dirty here. We'd better go.</span>
-* 你 <em>还是</em> 现在 就 跟 我 说 吧。<span class="trans">You'd better talk with me now.</span>
+== Structure ==
-* 你 病 了 这么 长 时间，<em>还是</em> 去 医院 吧。<span class="trans">I've been sick for a long time. I'd better go to the doctor.</span>\r\n</div>\r\n==See also==\r\n* [[Offering choices with haishi]]
-* [["Yinggai" for should]]\r\n== Sources and further reading ==\r\n=== Books ===\r\n* [[Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition]] (pp. 144) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415372615/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0415372615 →buy]
+还是 as an [[adverbs|adverb]] can express "had better" or "it would be better 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 usually comes before a verb or a subject.
-* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 259-60)　[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276385/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0887276385 →buy]
-* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)]] (pp. 103) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561913192/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561913192 →buy]
+<div class="jiegou">
-*[[卓越汉语－公司实战篇]] (p. 211) [http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD-%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87-%E8%83%A1%E7%81%B5%E5%9D%87/dp/B003QZWQ6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347863170&sr=8-1 →buy]\r\n[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
+Subj. + 还是 + [Verb Phrase] + 吧
-[[Category: Adverbs]]\r\n{{Basic Grammar|还是|B1|还是 + V|我们 <em>还是</em> 先 吃饭 吧。|grammar point|ASGWAR65}}
+</div>
+吧 is often placed after this structure, [[Softening speech with "ba"|as it's a suggestion]].
+== Examples ==
+<div class="liju">
+*<em>还是</em> 明天 去 吧 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Háishì</em> míngtiān qù ba.</span><span class="trans">We'd better go tomorrow.</span>
+*<em>还是</em> 让 她 进来 吧 。<span class="pinyin"><em>Háishì</em> ràng tā jìnlái ba.</span><span class="trans">We'd better let her come in.</span>
+*你 <em>还是</em> 快点 走 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Nǐ <em>háishì</em> kuài diǎn zǒu ba.</span><span class="trans">You'd better leave now.</span>
+*我们 <em>还是</em> 帮帮 他 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Wǒmen <em> háishì</em> bāngbang tā ba.</span><span class="trans">We'd better help him.</span>
+*太 晚 了 ，<em>还是</em> 先 回家 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Tài wǎn le, <em>háishì</em> xiān huíjiā ba.</span><span class="trans">It's too late. We'd better go home now.</span>
+*这里 太 脏 了，我们 <em>还是</em> 走 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ tài zāng le, wǒmen <em>háishì</em> zǒu ba.</span><span class="trans">It's too dirty here; we'd better leave.</span>
+*快 迟到 了 ，我们 <em>还是</em> 打车 吧 。<span class="pinyin">Kuài chídào le, wǒmen <em>háishì</em> dǎchē ba.</span><span class="trans">We're running late. Let's take a taxi.</span>
+</div>
+When the part after 还是 is a negative verb phrase, it's OK to drop the 吧 at the end.
+<div class="liju">
+*太 贵 了 ，<em>还是</em> 别 买 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tài guì le, <em>háishì</em> bié mǎi le.</span><span class="trans">It's too expensive. You'd better not buy it.</span>
+*她 不 想 说 ，<em>还是</em> 不要 再 问 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tā bù xiǎng shuō, <em>háishì</em> bùyào zài wèn le.</span><span class="trans">She doesn't want to say. We'd better not ask again.</span>
+*他 一定 不 同意 ，<em>还是</em> 别 跟 他 说 了 。<span class="pinyin">Tā yīdìng bù tóngyì, <em>háishì</em> bié gēn tā shuō le.</span><span class="trans">He will definitely not agree to it. We'd better not say anything to him.</span>
+</div>
+== See also ==
+* [[Offering choices with haishi]]
+* [["Yinggai" for should]]
+* [[Expressing "how about" with "yaobu"]]
+== Sources and further reading ==
+=== Books ===
+{{Source|Chinese: An Essential Grammar, Second Edition|144}}
+{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|259-60}}
+{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 4 (新实用汉语课本4)|103}}
+{{Source|卓越汉语－公司实战篇|211}}
+[[Category:B1 grammar points]]
+[[Category: Adverbs]]
+{{Basic Grammar|还是|B1|还是 + Verb|我们 <em>还是</em> 先 吃饭 吧。|grammar point|ASGWAR65}}
 {{Rel char|还}}
 {{Rel char|是}}
 {{Rel char|吧}}
 {{Similar|"Yinggai" for should}}
-{{Similar|Comparing "haishi" and "huozhe"}}
+{{Similar|Expressing "had better" with "zuihao"}}
+{{Similar|Expressing "how about" with "yaobu"}}
+{{Used for|Expressing quality}}
+{{Used for|Expressing obligations}}
 {{POS|Adverbs}}
-{{Used for| Expressing quality}}
+{{Translation|had better}}
-{{Used for| Expressing obligations}}
-{{Similar|"Yinggai" for should}}