Expressing "or" in statements

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\r\nIn English, "or" can be used in the sense of having a choice (Chicken or beef?), and as an "either or" statement (it doesn't matter if you're black or white). In Chinese, 或者(huòzhě) is used for the latter.\r\n== Structure ==\r\nWhilst 还是 is used for "or" in questions, 或者 is used for "or" in statements. \r\n

\r\nPossibility 1 + 或者 + Possibility 2\r\n

\r\n== Examples ==\r\n

\r\n* 我 想 去 青岛 或者 南京。I want to go to Qingdao or Nanjing.
  • 你 去 或者 我 去,都 可以。You go or I go, either way is fine.
  • 晚上 的 时候,我 一般 喜欢 喝 啤酒 或者 葡萄酒。Usually I prefer some beer or red wine in the evening.
  • 周末的时候,我喜欢做做饭或者看看电影。During the weekend, I like to cook or watch movies.
  • 今天晚上我想吃比萨或者汉堡。Tonight I want to eat pizza or hamburgers.
  • 下个月我打算去杭州或者苏州旅行。Next month I plan to go to Hangzhou or Suzhou to travel.
  • 圣诞节我们回美国或者留在中国。This Christmas we are returning to America or staying in China.
  • 晚饭以后我喜欢和家人聊聊天或者喝喝茶。After dinner I like to chat or drink tea with my family.
  • 他不喜欢抽烟或者喝酒。 He doesn't like smoking or drinking.
  • 你可以用手机或者电脑来查生词。You can use either a cellphone or computer to look up those new words.\r\n\r\n

\r\n==See also==

  • Offering choices with haishi
  • Providing two options with double "huozhe" (advanced article)\r\n== Sources and further reading ==\r\n=== Books ===\r\n* Basic Patterns of Chinese Grammar (pp. 74-5) →buy
  • Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed) (pp. 257-8) →buy
  • Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 1 (pp. 239-40) →buy\r\n=== Websites ===\r\n* East Asia Student: The difference between 还是 and 或者\r\n