Difference between revisions of "Offering choices with "haishi""

 
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{{Grammar Box}}
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{{Grammar Box}}  
还是 (háishì) is used in Chinese to provide options in a '''question'''. This is equivalent to one use of "or" in English.  
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还是 (háishì) is used in Chinese to provide options in a '''question'''. This is equivalent to one of our uses of "or" in English.  
  
== Structure ==
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== Simplest Form ==
 +
 
 +
=== Structure ===
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
 +
Option A + 还是 + Option B ?
 +
</div>
  
Option A + 还是 + Option B
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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 ===
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 +
<div class="liju">
 +
 
 +
* <strong>我</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>他</strong> ? <span class="pinyin"><strong>Wǒ</strong> <em>háishì</em> <strong>tā?</strong></span><span class="trans">Me or him?</span>
 +
* <strong>一 个</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>两 个</strong> ? <span class="pinyin"><strong>Yī gè</strong> <em>háishì</em> <strong>liǎng gè</strong>?</span><span class="trans">One or two?</span>
 +
* <strong>辣 的</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>不 辣 的</strong>?<span class="pinyin"><strong>Là de</strong> <em>háishì</em> <strong>bù là de</strong>?</span><span class="trans">Spicy or non-spicy?</span>
 +
* <strong>冰 的</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>热 的</strong>?<span class="pinyin"><strong>Bīng de</strong> <em>háishì</em> <strong>rè de</strong>?</span><span class="trans">Cold or hot?</span>
 +
* <strong>上海</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>北京</strong> ? <span class="expl">The eternal China expat question! Choose wisely...</span><span class="pinyin"><strong>Shànghǎi</strong> <em>háishì</em> <strong>Běijīng?</strong></span><span class="trans">Shanghai or Beijing?</span>
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
You can then put this into all kinds of questions with the following structure:
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== 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:
  
 
<div class="jiegou">
 
<div class="jiegou">
  
Subject + Verb + Option A + 还是 + Option B
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Subj. + Verb + Option A + 还是 + Option B ?
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
== Examples ==
+
=== Examples ===
  
 
<div class="liju">
 
<div class="liju">
  
{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%"
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* 这 是 <strong>水</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>酒</strong> ? <span class="pinyin">Zhè shì <strong>shuǐ </strong> <em>háishì</em> <strong>jiǔ</strong>?</span><span class="trans">Is this water or alcohol?</span>
|+还是 questions
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* 他 <strong>美国 人</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>英国 人</strong> ? <span class="pinyin">Tā shì <strong>Měiguó rén </strong> <em>háishì</em> <strong>Yīngguó rén</strong>?</span><span class="trans">Is he American or British?</span>
|-
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* 你 喜欢 <strong>我</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>我 的 钱</strong> ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ xǐhuan <strong>wǒ </strong> <em>háishì</em> <strong>wǒ de qián</strong>?</span><span class="trans">Do you like me or my money?</span>
! Subject !! Verb !! Option A !!  还是  !! Option B ||  !!  Translation
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* 你 要 喝 <strong>茶</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>咖啡</strong> ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐ yào hē <strong>chá</strong> <em>háishì</em> <strong>kāfēi</strong>?</span><span class="trans">Do you want to drink tea or coffee?</span>
|-
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* 你们 想 吃 <strong>中国 菜</strong> <em>还是</em> <strong>法国 菜</strong> ? <span class="pinyin">Nǐmen xiǎng chī <strong>Zhōngguó cài </strong> <em>háishì</em> <strong>Fǎguó cài</strong>?</span><span class="trans">Do you want to eat Chinese food or French food?</span>
| 你 || 要 || 茶 || <em>还是</em> || 咖啡 || ?|| <span class="spaced">Do you want tea or coffee?</span>
 
|-
 
| 你 || || 美国人 || <em>还是</em> || 英国人 || || <span class="spaced">Are you American or English?</span>
 
|-
 
| || 喜欢 || 啤酒 || <em>还是</em> || 葡萄酒 || || <span class="spaced">Do you like beer or wine?</span>
 
|-
 
| 他 || 是 || 医生 || <em>还是</em> || 老师 || || <span class="spaced">Is he a doctor or a teacher?</span>
 
|-
 
| 你 || 想吃 || 中国菜 || <em>还是</em> || 法国菜 || ?|| <span class="spaced">Do you want to eat Chinese food or French food?</span>
 
|-
 
| 那 || 是 || 大猫 || <em>还是</em> || 小老虎 || || <span class="spaced">Is that a big cat or a little tiger?</span>
 
|}
 
  
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
Please note that 还是 is for offering options in a ''question''.  It should not be used for "or" in statements (see below).
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Please note that 还是 (háishì) is for offering options in a '''question'''.  It should not be used for [[Expressing "or" in statements|"or" in statements]].
  
 
==See also==
 
==See also==
 +
 
* [["Or" in statements]]
 
* [["Or" in statements]]
* [["Had better" with "haishi"]] (advanced article)
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* [["Had better" with "haishi"]]
* [[Providing two options with double "huozhe"]] (advanced article)
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* [[Providing two options with double "huozhe"]]
  
 
== Sources and Further Reading ==
 
== Sources and Further Reading ==
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=== Books ===
 
=== Books ===
  
* [[Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)]] (pp. 76-7, 257-8) [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]
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{{Source|HSK Standard Course 3|23}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)]] (pp. 179) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561910401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=7561910401 →buy]
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{{Source|Integrated Chinese: Level 1, Part 1 (3rd ed)|76-7, 257-8}}
* [[New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)]] (pp. 206-7, 251) [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7561926235/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7561926235 →buy]
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{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)|179}}
 +
{{Source|New Practical Chinese Reader 1 (新实用汉语课本1)(2nd ed)|206-7, 251}}
 +
{{Source|40 Lessons for Basic Chinese Course (基础汉语40课上册)|125}}
  
 
=== Websites ===
 
=== Websites ===
  
* East Asia Student: [http://eastasiastudent.net/2331/china/mandarin/cmn-grammar/difference-hai-shi-huo-zhe/ The difference between 还是 and 或者]
 
 
* Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0213.html Comparing 还是 and 或者]
 
* Yale Chinese Usage Dictionary: [http://comet.cls.yale.edu/chineseusagedictionary/0213.html Comparing 还是 and 或者]
 
{{Used for|Asking questions}}
 
{{Used for|Asking questions}}
 
{{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
 
{{Used for|Giving alternatives}}
 
[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
 
[[Category:A1 grammar points]]
{{Basic Grammar|还是|A1|A + 还是 + B ?|你 要 茶 <em>还是</em> 咖啡 ?|grammar point|ASGA8NIB}}
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{{HSK|HSK3}}
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{{Basic Grammar|还是|A1|A + 还是 + B ?|你 要 茶 <em>还是</em> 咖啡 ?|grammar point|ASGA8NIB}}
 
{{Rel char|是}}
 
{{Rel char|是}}
 
{{Similar|"Or" in statements}}
 
{{Similar|"Or" in statements}}

Latest revision as of 09:43, 14 March 2019

还是 (háishì) is used in Chinese to provide options in a question. This is equivalent to one of our uses 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

  • 还是 háishì tā?Me or him?
  • 一 个 还是 两 个Yī gè háishì liǎng gè?One or two?
  • 辣 的 还是 不 辣 的Là de háishì bù là de?Spicy or non-spicy?
  • 冰 的 还是 热 的Bīng de háishì rè de?Cold or hot?
  • 上海 还是 北京The eternal China expat question! Choose wisely...Shànghǎi háishì Běijīng?Shanghai or Beijing?

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:

Subj. + Verb + Option A + 还是 + Option B ?

Examples

  • 这 是 还是 Zhè shì shuǐ háishì jiǔ?Is this water or alcohol?
  • 他 是 美国 人 还是 英国 人Tā shì Měiguó rén háishì Yīngguó rén?Is he American or British?
  • 你 喜欢 还是 我 的 钱Nǐ xǐhuan háishì wǒ de qián?Do you like me or my money?
  • 你 要 喝 还是 咖啡Nǐ yào hē chá háishì kāfēi?Do you want to drink tea or coffee?
  • 你们 想 吃 中国 菜 还是 法国 菜Nǐmen xiǎng chī Zhōngguó cài háishì Fǎguó cài?Do you want to eat Chinese food or French food?

Please note that 还是 (háishì) is for offering options in a question. It should not be used for "or" in statements.

See also

Sources and Further Reading

Books

Websites