Expressing "or" in statements

In 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.

Structure

Whilst 还是 is used for "or" in questions, 或者 is used for "or" in statements.

Possibility 1 + 或者 + Possibility 2

Examples

• 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 喜欢 喝 啤酒 或者 葡萄酒。I prefer some beer or red wine in the evening.
• 周末 的 时候，我 喜欢 做 饭 或者 看 电影。During the weekend, I like to cook or watch movies.
• 今天 晚上 我 想 吃 披萨 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 呆 在 中国。This Christmas we are returning to America or staying in China.
• 晚饭 以后 我 喜欢 和 家人 聊天或者喝茶。After dinner I like to chat or drink tea with my family.
• 你 需要 筷子 或者叉子。 You need chopsticks or fork.
• 你 可以 用 手机 或者 电脑。You can use either a cellphone or computer.

See also

• Offering choices with haishi
• Providing two options with double "huozhe" (advanced article)

Sources and further reading

Books

• 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

Websites

• East Asia Student: The difference between 还是 and 或者